18 U.S.C. § 609 — Use of military authority to influence vote

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 Whoever, being a commissioned, noncommis- sioned, warrant, or petty officer of an Armed Force, uses military authority to influence the vote of a member of the Armed Forces or to re- quire 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 po- litical issues or candidates for public office. (Added Pub. L. 99–410, title II, § 202(a), Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 929.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 609, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 723, prescribed maximum contributions and expendi- tures limitation of $3,000,000 for any calendar year, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 92–225, title II, § 204, Feb. 7, 1972, 86 Stat. 10, effective sixty days after Feb. 7, 1972. 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. § 610. Coercion of political activity It shall be unlawful for any person to intimi- date, threaten, command, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, command, or coerce, any employee of the Federal Government as de- fined in section 7322(1) of title 5, United States Code, to engage in, or not to engage in, any po- litical activity, including, but not limited to, voting or refusing to vote for any candidate or measure in any election, making or refusing to make any political contribution, or working or refusing to work on behalf of any candidate. Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. (Added Pub. L. 103–94, § 4(c)(1), Oct. 6, 1993, 107 Stat. 1005; amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 610, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 723; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 10, 63 Stat. 90; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 20(c), 65 Stat. 718; Feb. 7, 1972, Pub. L. 92–225, title II, § 205, 86 Stat. 10; Oct. 15, 1974, Pub. L. 93–443, title I, § 101(e)(1), 88 Stat. 1267, prohibited campaign contributions or expenditures by national banks, cor- porations, and labor organizations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–283, title II, § 201(a), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 496. See section 30118 of Title 52, Voting and Elections. AMENDMENTS 1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $5,000’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE; SAVINGS PROVISION Section effective 120 days after Oct. 6, 1993, and no provision of Pub. L. 103–94 to affect any proceedings with respect to which charges were filed on or before 120 days after Oct. 6, 1993, with orders to be issued in such proceedings and appeals taken therefrom as if Pub. L. 103–94 had not been enacted, see section 12 of Pub. L. 103–94, set out as a note under section 7321 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. § 611. Voting by aliens (a) It shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the pur- pose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, unless— (1) the election is held partly for some other purpose; (2) aliens are authorized to vote for such other purpose under a State constitution or statute or a local ordinance; and (3) voting for such other purpose is con- ducted independently of voting for a candidate for such Federal offices, in such a manner that an alien has the opportunity to vote for such other purpose, but not an opportunity to vote for a candidate for any one or more of such Federal offices. (b) Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.