United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-05-09 monographic deposited born digital 19 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-704T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T P0b002ee180393d56 f:d01704t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T GAO-01-704T Armed forces abroad Elections Military personnel DOD Federal Voting Assistance Program Testimony A00978

The extent and quality of federal voter assistance for military personnel and overseas citizens varied considerably for the November 2000 election. The Department of Defense (DOD) has developed some useful information tools but many overseas military personnel were unaware of them. Moreover, the military services did not always comply with DOD requirements to appoint and train Voting Assistance Officers, brief military personnel on how to go about voting, or maintain sufficient supplies of voting materials. Lack of emphasis by commanders and limited oversight by service Inspectors General and installation commanders appear to be the chief reasons why some military installations did not fully comply with DOD guidance on how voting assistance programs should be carried out. Many states have worked with DOD's Federal Voting Assistance Program to implement some of the program's legislative initiatives that make it easier for military personnel and overseas citizens to register, obtain ballots, and vote; however, voters continue to face some challenges. Information on the precise number of military and overseas absentee votes that local jurisdictions disqualified nationwide in the November 2000 election and the reasons for disqualification is not available. Many local officials told GAO they did not track data on these specific groups of absentee voters and could not readily provide the data. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T.pdf GAO-01-704T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-704T Testimony GAO-01-704T; Elections: Issues Affecting Military and Overseas Absentee Voters; Armed forces abroad Elections Military personnel DOD Federal Voting Assistance Program Title 42 Section 1973ff 42 U.S.C. 1973ff