Title 52Voting and ElectionsRelease 119-73not60

§20301a Duties of Secretary Under Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

Title 52 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Voting Assistance and Election Administration › Chapter 203— REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND OVERSEAS VOTERS IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE › § 20301a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

As the President’s representative under the overseas voting law, the Secretary must make sure service members at diplomatic or consular posts can get and return ballots just like those at military installations, starting January 1, 2021.

Full Legal Text

Title 52, §20301a

Voting and Elections — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In carrying out the Secretary’s duties as the Presidential designee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.), the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary, feasible, and practical to ensure that a uniformed services voter under such Act who is absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service at a diplomatic and consular post of the United States is able to receive and transmit balloting materials in the same manner and with the same rights and protections as a uniformed services voter under such Act who is absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service at a military installation.
(b)This section shall apply with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2021.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 99–410, Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 924, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and not as part of title I of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act which comprises this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

52 U.S.C. § 20301a

Title 52Voting and Elections

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60