FACT WIKI · Concept
U.S. voting rights for citizens living abroad
U.S. voting rights for citizens living abroad
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 protects voting rights for U.S. citizens residing outside the United States, alongside specified military and other service groups and eligible dependents.
Roles and functions
The Help America Vote Act requires states to collect the numbers of UOCAVA ballots sent and received for each regularly scheduled federal general election. It directs the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to collect those data and report the results to Congress.
Under the 2009 MOVE Act, if the Federal Voting Assistance Program chose to run a technology pilot, the Election Assistance Commission and the National Institute of Standards and Technology were required to support it with best practices or standards.
How it works
UOCAVA requires states and territories to allow covered citizens to register and vote in elections for federal office using absentee procedures.
History and changes
In 2009, Congress passed the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (MOVE), authorizing the Federal Voting Assistance Program to run pilot programs testing whether new or emerging technology could better serve uniformed and overseas citizens. This authorization did not itself establish that a pilot program had begun.
Scope and limitations
The Election Assistance Commission's biennial survey brings together county-level or equivalent election-administration data from all 50 states, four territories and the District of Columbia.
References
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