January 27, 2012 | 10:57 AM | By

Military Voting Made Easier By Reforms

FILED UNDER: Life in the Military, Election Initiatives at the Pew Center on the States, military absentee ballots, Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, military voting, Pew Center on the States

U.S. Army / Flickr

Military voting

A majority of states have done a good job of passing laws to protect the voting rights of our military, according to a new report by The Pew Center on the States.

David Becker, director of Election Initiatives at the Pew Center on the States, says:

“For far too long, those serving and protecting our democracy were unable to fully participate in elections back at home. Now, the vast majority of states have greatly improved the ability of millions of military personnel and civilians overseas to cast a ballot and ensure it counts.”

According to Pew, the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act prompted 47 states and the District of Columbia to pass laws that removed hurdles to voting many overseas servicemembers faced.

Here are some of the positive changes states made, according to Pew:

  • [M]eeting or exceeding federal requirements to send ballots to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election.
  • [A]llow(ing) military and overseas voters to receive blank ballots electronically.
  • Eliminating requirements for notarization or witnesses.