You can't just choose a state to vote in without establishing residency. As a US citizen living overseas, your last US residence address is your "voting residence address" - that means it is your address for voting purposes. To establish a new voting residence address you must live in the new location with an intent to make the location your home.
Renting or buying property, establishing utilities accounts, registering your car, obtaining a driver's license, registering to vote - these are all actions that indicate an intent to make your home in a given location.
Each state has its own requirements for establishing residency for voting purposes. Below is a list* of residency requirements for each state.
STATE
|
DURATIONAL RESIDENCY RULES
|
Alabama
|
none
|
Alaska
|
none
|
Arizona
|
29 days of residency prior to an election
|
Arkansas
|
none
|
California
|
none
|
Colorado
|
22 days of residency prior to an election
|
Connecticut
|
none
|
Delaware
|
none
|
Florida
|
none
|
Georgia
|
none
|
Hawaii
|
none
|
Idaho
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Illinois
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Indiana
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Iowa
|
none
|
Kansas
|
none
|
Kentucky
|
28 days of residency prior to an election
|
Louisiana
|
none
|
Maine
|
none
|
Maryland
|
none
|
Massachusetts
|
none
|
Michigan
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Minnesota
|
20 days of residency prior to an election
|
Mississippi
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Missouri
|
none
|
Montana
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Nebraska
|
none
|
Nevada
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
New Hampshire
|
none
|
New Jersey
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
New Mexico
|
none
|
New York
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
North Carolina
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
North Dakota
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Ohio
|
30 days of residency immediately prior to an election
|
Oklahoma
|
none
|
Oregon
|
none
|
Pennsylvania
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Rhode Island
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
South Carolina
|
none
|
South Dakota
|
none
|
Tennessee
|
none
|
Texas
|
none
|
Utah
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Vermont
|
none
|
Virginia
|
none
|
Washington
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
Washington D.C.
|
30 days of residency prior to an election
|
West Virginia
|
none
|
Wisconsin
|
10 days of residency prior to an election
|
Wyoming
|
none
|
*Please note that this list is subject to change.
|