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18 U.S.C. § 609 — Use of military authority to influence vote of member of Armed Forces
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Whoever, being a commissioned, noncommissioned, warrant, or petty officer of an Armed Force, uses military authority to influence the vote of a member of the Armed Forces or to require a member of the Armed Forces to march to a polling place, or attempts to do so, shall be fined in accordance with this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Nothing in this section shall prohibit free discussion of political issues or candidates for public office.
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-18/section-609-use-of-military-authority-to-influence-vote-of-member-of-armed-forces--cc8e90f00b.md
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Source location: Title 18, Chapter 29, § 609; chapter-029-elections-and-political-activities.md
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Whoever, being a commissioned, noncommissioned, warrant, or petty officer of an Armed Force, uses military authority to influence the vote of a member of the Armed Forces or to require a member of the Armed Forces to march to a polling place, or attempts to do so, shall be fined in accordance with this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Nothing in this section shall prohibit free discussion of political issues or candidates for public office.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Presidential designee** The President shall designate the head of an executive department to have primary responsibility for Federal functions under this chapter.
**(b) Duties of Presidential designee** The Presidential designee shall—
(1) consult State and local election officials in carrying out this chapter, and ensure that such officials are aware of the requirements of this Act;
(2) prescribe an official post card form, containing both an absentee voter registration application and an absentee ballot application, for use by the States as required under [section 20302(a)(4) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title52-section20302/a/4&num=0&edition=prelim);
(3) carry out [section 20303 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title52-section20303&num=0&edition=prelim) with respect to the Federal write-in absentee ballot for absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters in general elections for Federal office;
(4) prescribe a suggested design for absentee ballot mailing envelopes;
(5) compile and distribute (A) descriptive material on State absentee registration and voting procedures, and (B) to the extent practicable, facts relating to specific elections, including dates, offices involved, and the text of ballot questions;
(6) not later than the end of each year after a Presidential election year, transmit to the President and the Congress a report on the effectiveness of assistance under this chapter, including a statistical analysis of uniformed services voter participation, a separate statistical analysis of overseas nonmilitary participation, and a description of State-Federal cooperation;
(7) prescribe a standard oath for use with any document under this chapter affir
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 52 U.S.C. § 20301
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
### Statutory Notes
Section 1973cc–21, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 301, 69 Stat. 588, provided definitions of terms used in this subchapter. See [section 20310 of Title 52](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title52-section20310&num=0&edition=prelim), Voting and Elections.
Section 1973cc–22, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 302, 69 Stat. 588, provided free postage for official post cards, ballots, voting instructions, and envelopes. See [section 3406 of Title 39](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title39-section3406&num=0&edition=prelim), Postal Service.
Section 1973cc–23, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 303, 69 Stat. 588, related to prevention of fraud and coercion.
Section 1973cc–24, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 304, 69 Stat. 589, provided that acts done in good faith do not constitute a violation of any provision of law relating to elective franchise.
Section 1973cc–25, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 305, 69 Stat. 589, provided that no undue influence be used by any officer but that nothing in this subchapter be deemed to prohibit free discussion regarding political issues or candidates for public office. See [section 609 of Title 18](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section609&num=0&edition=prelim), Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Section 1973cc–26, act Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 656, title III, § 308, 69 Stat. 589, authorized appropriations as necessary to carry out this subchapter.
#### Effective Date of Repeal
Repeal applicable with respect to elections taking place after Dec. 31, 1987, see section 204 of Pub. L. 99–410, set out as an Effective Date note under [section 20301 of Title 52](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granu
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 42 U.S.C. § 1973cc–21 to 1973cc–26
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 150
TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
§ 609
(b) Whoever knowingly gives false information
for the purpose of establishing the eligibility of
any person to register or vote under the Uni-
formed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
Act, or pays or offers to pay, or accepts payment
for registering or voting under such Act shall be
fined in accordance with this title or imprisoned
not more than five years, or both.
(Added Pub. L. 99–410, title II, § 202(a), Aug. 28,
1986, 100 Stat. 929.)
Editorial Notes
REFERENCES IN TEXT
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Vot-
ing Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 99–410, Aug. 28,
1986, 100 Stat. 924, which was formerly classified prin-
cipally to subchapter I–G (§ 1973ff et seq.) of chapter 20
of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to edi-
torial reclassification and renumbering in Title 52, Vot-
ing and Elections, and is now classified principally to
chapter 203 (§ 20301 et seq.) of Title 52. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
PRIOR PROVISIONS
A prior section 608, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat.
723; Feb. 7, 1972, Pub. L. 92–225, title II, § 203, 86 Stat. 9;
Oct. 15, 1974, Pub. L. 93–443, title I, § 101(a), (b), 88 Stat.
1263, 1266, set limitations on campaign contributions
and expenditures, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–283, title
II, § 201(a), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 496. See section 30116
of Title 52, Voting and Elections.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
EFFECTIVE DATE
Section applicable with respect to elections taking
place after Dec. 31, 1987, see section 204 of Pub. L.
99–410, set out as a note under section 20301 of Title 52,
Voting and Elections.
§ 609. Use of military authority to influence vote
of member of Armed Forces
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 18 U.S.C. § 609
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