To be eligible to vote within a particular voting jurisdiction or area, you must be a resident of that jurisdiction/area. Generally, residency is defined as presence within the jurisdiction and the intention to be a resident of the jurisdiction (in other words, the intent to stay).
The definition of residency can vary by state, however federal law mandates that no state can impose a residency requirement of longer than 30 days prior to election day. State Durational Residency Rules can be found on our State Voting Requirements page. Choose your state, and on the following page select "Overseas & Military Voters" and "Eligibility Requirements."