§20982 — Title 52 Voting and Elections | U.S. Code

§20982 Study, report, and recommendations on best practices for facilitating military and overseas voting

Title 52 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Voting Assistance and Election Administration › Chapter CHAPTER 209— - ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - COMMISSION › Part Part C— - Studies and Other Activities To Promote Effective Administration of Federal Elections › § 20982

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Commission must work with the Secretary of Defense to study ways to make it easier for military members who are away from home and for U.S. citizens living overseas to register and vote absentee. The study must look at rights about where they count as residents, how to register and cast secret ballots, early applications, when ballots should be mailed and received, timely delivery of voting materials, security and privacy (including fraud protection), using one form for all federal elections in a year, combining registration and ballot requests on one form, using fax or electronic transmission, and other related voting issues. The Commission must send a report with recommendations to the President and Congress not later than the date that is 18 months after October 29, 2002. Definitions: absent uniformed services voters — military voters away on duty; overseas voters — U.S. citizens living abroad.

Title 52, §20982

Voting and Elections — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall conduct a study on the best practices for facilitating voting by absent uniformed services voters (as defined in section 20310(1) of this title) and overseas voters (as defined in section 20310(5) of this title).

(2)In conducting the study under paragraph (1) the Commission shall consider the following issues:

(A)The rights of residence of uniformed services voters absent due to military orders.

(B)The rights of absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters to register to vote and cast absentee ballots, including the right of such voters to cast a secret ballot.

(C)The rights of absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters to submit absentee ballot applications early during an election year.

(D)The appropriate preelection deadline for mailing absentee ballots to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.

(E)The appropriate minimum period between the mailing of absentee ballots to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters and the deadline for receipt of such ballots.

(F)The timely transmission of balloting materials to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.

(G)Security and privacy concerns in the transmission, receipt, and processing of ballots from absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters, including the need to protect against fraud.

(H)The use of a single application by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters for absentee ballots for all Federal elections occurring during a year.

(I)The use of a single application for voter registration and absentee ballots by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.

(J)The use of facsimile machines and electronic means of transmission of absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.

(K)Other issues related to the rights of absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters to participate in elections.

(b)Not later than the date that is 18 months after October 29, 2002, the Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a)(1) together with recommendations identifying the best practices used with respect to the issues considered under subsection (a)(2).

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 15382 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

§20982 Study, report, and recommendations on best practices for facilitating military and overseas voting

Summary

Title 52, §20982

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

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