Report Finds Voting Assistance Offices Lacking for Military and Overseas Voters

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Projects: Election Initiatives
Report Finds Voting Assistance Offices Lacking for Military and Overseas Voters

An important requirement of 2009’s federal Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment Act was that all military installations (except those in war zones) establish installation voting assistance offices (IVAOs). These offices are meant to provide direct, face-to-face guidance to both military and civilian overseas voters on how to navigate the voting process.

A recent report by an inspector general for the Department of Defense attempted to contact all of these offices. Nearly half the time, they were unable to reach the IVAOs.

According to the report, this lack of effectiveness is due, at least in part, to the lack of any funds being budgeted specifically to establish IVAOs.

 

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