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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10064 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10064
To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide an individual who enlists
as a member, or who is commissioned as an officer, of the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force and who is eligible to register
to vote in elections for Federal office in the State in which the
individual resides with a voter registration application form for such
elections at the time the individual enlists or is commissioned, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 29, 2024
Mr. Casten introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on
Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide an individual who enlists
as a member, or who is commissioned as an officer, of the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force and who is eligible to register
to vote in elections for Federal office in the State in which the
individual resides with a voter registration application form for such
elections at the time the individual enlists or is commissioned, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Military Voters Overseas Technical
Enhancement Act'' or the ``Military VOTE Act''.
SEC. 2. MAKING VOTER REGISTRATION AVAILABLE UPON ENLISTMENT.
(a) Voter Registration Availability.--At the time an individual
enlists as a member, or is commissioned as an officer, of a covered
Armed Force, the Secretary of Defense shall--
(1) ask the individual if the individual is eligible to
register to vote in elections for Federal office in the State
in which the individual resides; and
(2) if the individual responds by stating that the
individual is eligible to register to vote in such elections,
the Secretary shall, in accordance with section 7(a)(4) of the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C.
20506(a)(4))--
(A) provide the individual with a mail voter
registration application form;
(B) assist the individual in completing the form,
unless the individual refuses such assistance; and
(C) accept the individual's completed voter
registration application form for transmittal to the
appropriate State election official.
(b) No Effect on Service in Covered Armed Force.--In carrying out
this section with respect to any individual, the Secretary shall not--
(1) seek to influence the individual's political preference
or party registration;
(2) display any such political preference or party
allegiance;
(3) make any statement to an individual or take any action
the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the individual
from registering to vote; or
(4) make any statement to an individual or take any action
the purpose or effect of which is to lead the individual to
believe that a decision to register or not to register has any
bearing on the individual's service in a covered Armed Force.
(c) Agreements.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into agreements
with the appropriate State election officials to enable the Secretary
to carry out this section.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``covered Armed Force'' means the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
(2) The terms ``election'' and ``Federal office'' have the
meaning given such terms in section 301 of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101).
(3) The term ``State'' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
SEC. 3. PROMOTING TIMELY AND ACCURATE DELIVERY OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
(a) Electronic Transmission.--Section 102(f)(2) of the Uniformed
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20302(f)(2)) is
amended to read as follows:
``(2) Transmission if no preference indicated.--If an
absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter does not
designate a preference under paragraph (1)(B)--
``(A) the State shall transmit the ballot
electronically; or
``(B) if the State lacks sufficient information to
transmit the ballot electronically, the State shall
transmit the ballot by any delivery method allowable in
accordance with applicable State law.''.
(b) Notification of Change of Address and Change in Uniformed
Service Status.--Section 101(b) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20301(b)) is
amended--
(1) by striking the semicolon at the end of paragraph (10);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (11) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(12) take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that
the appropriate State election official of a State has timely
and accurate contact information, including an updated mailing
address, for each uniformed services voter who is registered to
vote in the State, without regard to whether the voter is an
absent uniformed services voter; and
``(13) notify the appropriate State election official of a
State if an individual who is registered to vote in the State
and who is a uniformed services voter, including an absent
uniformed services voter, is no longer a uniformed services
voter.''.
(c) Definition.--Section 107 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20310) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph (9); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following new
paragraph:
``(8) `uniformed services voter' means an individual who is
not absent from the place of residence where the member is
otherwise qualified to vote and who is--
``(A) a member of a uniformed service on active
duty;
``(B) a member of the merchant marine; or
``(C) a spouse or dependent of a member referred to
in subparagraph (A) or (B) ; and''.
SEC. 4. USE OF SINGLE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION FOR SUBSEQUENT
ELECTIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 104 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20306) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 104. TREATMENT OF BALLOT REQUESTS.
``(a) Use of Application by Absent Uniformed Services Voters for
Subsequent Elections.--
``(1) In general.--If a State accepts and processes an
official post card form (prescribed under section 101)
submitted by an absent uniformed services voter for
simultaneous voter registration and absentee ballot application
(in accordance with section 102(a)(4)) and the voter requests
that the application be considered an application for an
absentee ballot for each subsequent election for Federal office
held in the State, the State shall provide an absentee ballot
to the voter for each such subsequent election.
``(2) Exception for voters changing uniformed service
status.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a voter
registered to vote in a State for any election held after the
voter is no longer a uniformed services voter.
``(b) Prohibition of Refusal of Application on Grounds of Early
Submission.--A State may not refuse to accept or to process, with
respect to any election for Federal office, any otherwise valid voter
registration application or absentee ballot application (including the
postcard form prescribed under section 101) submitted by an absent
uniformed services voter or overseas voter on the grounds that the
voter submitted the application before the first date on which the
State otherwise accepts or processes such applications for that
election which are submitted by absentee voters who are not members of
the uniformed services or overseas citizens.''.
(b) Conforming Revision to Postcard Form.--Section 101 of such Act
(52 U.S.C. 20301) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking the semicolon and
inserting ``, in accordance with subsection (c);'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections
(c) and (d); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new
subsection:
``(c) Use of Official Post Card Form for Registration for
Subsequent Elections.--The Presidential designee shall ensure that the
official postcard form prescribed under subsection (b)(2) enables a
voter using the form to request an absentee ballot for subsequent
elections for Federal office held in a State, as provided under section
104.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this subsection shall
apply with respect to voter registration and absentee ballot
applications which are submitted to a State or local election official
on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. EVALUATION OF ACCURACY AND TIMELINESS OF VOTER REGISTRATION
INFORMATION PROVIDED TO ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS
UPON TRANSFER TO NEW DUTY STATION.
Section 105A of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
Act (52 U.S.C. 20308) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new
subsection:
``(c) Adequacy of Voter Registration Information Provided to
Members Upon Transfer to New Duty Station.--Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Presidential
designee shall submit to the President and the relevant congressional
committees an evaluation of whether the information on voter
registration which is included in the change of base packet provided to
absent uniformed services voters who are transferred to new duty
stations provides timely and accurate information on how such voters
may register to vote in elections for Federal office.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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