The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues

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Abstract:

Members of the military and U.S. citizens who live abroad are eligible to register and vote absentee in federal elections under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act UOCAVA of 1986. The law was enacted to improve absentee registration and voting for this group of voters and to consolidate existing laws. Since 1942, a number of federal laws have been enacted to assist these voters the Soldier Voting Act of 1942 amended in 1944, the Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955, the Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975 both the 1955 and 1975 laws were amended in 1978 to improve procedures, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986. The law is administered by the Secretary of Defense, who delegates that responsibility to the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program at the Department of Defense DoD. Improvements to UOCAVA P.L. 99-410 were necessary as the result of controversy surrounding ballots received in Florida from military and overseas voters in the 2000 presidential election. Both the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2002 P.L. 107-107 S. 1438 and the Help America Vote Act P.L. 107-252 H.R. 3295 included provisions concerning military and overseas voting. The President signed P.L. 107-107 on December 28, 2001, and P.L. 107-252 on October 29, 2002. The Defense Authorization Act for FY2005 amended UOCAVA as well, to ease the rules for use of the federal write-in ballot in place of state absentee ballots, and the Defense Authorization Act for FY2007 extended the DoD program. The act was signed by the President on October 28, 2004. This report will be updated periodically to reflect new developments.

Author(s):
Coleman, Kevin J.
Author Organization(s):
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
Descriptive Note:
Congressional rept.
Supplementary Note:
CRS Report for Congress.
Pagination:
0011

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
CRS-RS20764
Monitor Series:
CRS/DC
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_1.3_Human Capital Management; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_8_Building Partnerships; JCA_1.3.2_Personnel Management; JCA_3.2_Engagement; JCA_3_Force Application; JCA_3.2.2_Non-Kinetic Means; JCA_6.1_Information Transport; JCA_8.1.1_Inform Domestic and Foreign Audiences; JCA_8.1_Communicate; JCA_8.2_Shape
Communities of Interest:
Human Systems
Descriptor(s):
*ABSENTEEISM, *OVERSEAS, *FEDERAL LAW, *MILITARY PERSONNEL, *CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, *ELECTIONS, INTERNET, FAMILY MEMBERS, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, DEPLOYMENT, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES), ACTIVE DUTY
Field(s)/Group(s):
Government and Political Science, Sociology and Law, Personnel Management and Labor Relations, Military Forces and Organizations
Keyword(s):
*ABSENTEE VOTERS, ABSENTEE VOTING, FEDERAL ELECTIONS, *UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS ABSENTEE VOTING ACT, FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SERVE(SECURE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION AND VOTING EXPERIMENT), MILITARY VOTERS, OVERSEAS VOTERS, UNITED STATES CITIZENS, VOTER REGISTRATION, ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Report Date:
2009 May 29
Creation Date:
2009 Jul 22