VOTES Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-6242
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
Introduced: 2023-11-06
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-11
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-11-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Voting Overseas Treated Equally for&nbsp;Servicemembers Act of 2023 or the VOTES Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill expands the definitions of <em>absent uniformed services voter </em>and <em>overseas voter</em> for purposes of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).&nbsp;</p><p>UOCAVA requires that states and jurisdictions allow certain groups of citizens to register and vote absentee in federal elections. Absent uniformed services voters under UOCAVA are primarily active duty service members who are away from their voting residence. These include members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. The current definition of <em>absent uniformed services voter </em>also includes (1) members of the merchant marine and commissioned officers of the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and (2) spouses or dependents who also are absent from their voting residence due to the member's active duty or service.</p><p>This bill expands the definition of <em>absent uniformed services voter&nbsp;</em>to include (1) members on active service or inactive duty training who are absent from their voting residence, and (2) spouses or dependents who are absent from their voting residence due to the member's active service or inactive duty training.</p><p>The bill also expands the definition of <em>overseas voter</em> to include an absent uniformed services voter who, by reason of active service or inactive duty training, is absent from the United States on the date of the election involved.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6242 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 6, 2023 Mr. Frost introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to expand coverage of the definition of absent uniformed services voter, under such Act.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Voting Overseas Treated Equally for Servicemembers Act of 2023 or the VOTES Act of 2023 . 2. Expansion of the coverage of the definition of absent uniformed services voter under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (a) In general Section 107 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ( 52 U.S.C. 20310 ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (1)(A) by striking on active duty and inserting on active duty, active service, or inactive duty-training as defined, respectively, by section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code, ; (2) in subparagraph (1)(A) by striking such active duty and inserting such duty status ; (3) in subparagraph (1)(C) by striking active duty or service and inserting active duty, active service, or inactive duty-training ; and (4) in subparagraph (5)(A) by striking active duty or service and inserting active duty, active service, or inactive duty-training as defined, respectively, by section 101(d) of title 10, United States Code, . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to elections occurring after January 1, 2025.