52 U.S.C. § 20305 — Federal Voting Assistance Program Im-

Page 37 TITLE 52—VOTING AND ELECTIONS § 20306 (A) is not sufficient to ensure timely deliv- ery of the ballot under paragraph (1) with re- spect to a particular location because of re- moteness or other factors, the Presidential designee may establish as an alternative deadline for that location the latest date oc- curring prior to the deadline described in subparagraph (A) which is sufficient to pro- vide timely delivery of the ballot under paragraph (1). (4) No postage requirement In accordance with section 3406 of title 39, such marked absentee ballots and other bal- loting materials shall be carried free of post- age. (5) Date of mailing Such marked absentee ballots shall be post- marked with a record of the date on which the ballot is mailed. (c) Outreach for absent overseas uniformed serv- ices voters on procedures The Presidential designee shall take appro- priate actions to inform individuals who are an- ticipated to be absent overseas uniformed serv- ices voters in a regularly scheduled general elec- tion for Federal office to which this section ap- plies of the procedures for the collection and de- livery of marked absentee ballots established pursuant to this section, including the manner in which such voters may utilize such proce- dures for the submittal of marked absentee bal- lots pursuant to this section. (d) Absent overseas uniformed services voter de- fined In this section, the term ‘‘absent overseas uni- formed services voter’’ means an overseas voter described in section 20310(5)(A) of this title. (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Presidential designee such sums as may be nec- essary to carry out this section. (Pub. L. 99–410, title I, § 103A, as added Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title V, § 580(a), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2324.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 1973ff–2a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to edi- torial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section applicable with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in No- vember 2010 and each succeeding election for Federal office, see section 580(f) of Pub. L. 111–84, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 20301 of this title. § 20305. Federal Voting Assistance Program Im- provements (a) Duties The Presidential designee shall carry out the following duties: (1) Develop online portals of information to inform absent uniformed services voters re- garding voter registration procedures and ab- sentee ballot procedures to be used by such voters with respect to elections for Federal of- fice. (2) Establish a program to notify absent uni- formed services voters of voter registration in- formation and resources, the availability of the Federal postcard application, and the availability of the Federal write-in absentee ballot on the military Global Network, and shall use the military Global Network to no- tify absent uniformed services voters of the foregoing 90, 60, and 30 days prior to each elec- tion for Federal office. (b) Clarification regarding other duties and obli- gations Nothing in this section shall relieve the Presi- dential designee of their duties and obligations under any directives or regulations issued by the Department of Defense, including the Depart- ment of Defense Directive 1000.04 (or any suc- cessor directive or regulation) that is not incon- sistent or contradictory to the provisions of this section. (c) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the De- partment of Defense (or a successor program) such sums as are necessary for purposes of car- rying out this section. (Pub. L. 99–410, title I, § 103B, as added Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title V, § 583(a)(1), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2327.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 1973ff–2b of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to edi- torial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section applicable with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in No- vember 2010 and each succeeding election for Federal office, see section 583(a)(3) of Pub. L. 111–84, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under sec- tion 20301 of this title. § 20306. Prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission A State may not refuse to accept or process, with respect to any election for Federal office, any otherwise valid voter registration applica- tion or absentee ballot application (including the postcard form prescribed under section 20301 of this title) submitted by an absent uniformed services voter during a year 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 year sub- mitted by absentee voters who are not members of the uniformed services. (Pub. L. 99–410, title I, § 104, Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 926; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title XVI, § 1606(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1279; Pub. L. 107–252, title VII, §§ 704, 706(a), Oct. 29, 2002, 116