An Act making recommendations to the States for the enactment of legislation to permit and assist Federal personnel, including members of the Armed Forces, and their families, to exercise their voting franchise, and for other purposes
PL 84-296 (H.R.4048), enacted 08/09/1955

584 
PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 1955 
[69 S T A T . 
August 9, 1955 
[H.R. 4048] 
The Federal Vot-
ing A s s i s t a n c e 
Act of 1955. 
Public Law 296 
CHAPTER 656 
AN ACT 
Making recommendations to the States for the enactment of legislation to permit 
and assist Federal personnel, including members of the Armed Forces, and 
their families, to exercise their voting franchise, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may 
be cited as "The Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955". 
TITLE I 
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONGRESS TO T H E SEVERAL STATES 
Absentee ballot. 
SEC. 101. The Congress hereby expresses itself as favoring, and 
recommends that the several States take, immediate legislative or 
administrative action to enable every person in any of the following 
categories who is absent from the place of his voting residence to vote 
by absentee ballot in any primary, special, or general election held 
in his election district or precinct, if he is otherwise eligible to vote 
in that election: 
(1) Members of the Armed Forces while in the active service, and 
their spouses and dependents. 
(2) Members of the merchant marine of the United States, and 
their spouses and dependents. 
(3) Civilian employees of the United States in all categories serv-
ing outside the territorial limits of the several States of the United 
States and the I^istrict of Columbia and their spouses and dependents 
when residing with or accompanying them, whether or not the em-
ployee is subject to the civil-service laws and the Classification Act 
of 1949, and whether or not paid from funds appropriated by the 
Congress. 
(4) Members of religious groups or welfare agencies assisting mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, who are officially attached to and serving 
with the Armed Forces, and their spouses and dependents. 
SEC. 102. To afford ample opportunity for persons covered by sec-
tion 101 of this Act tp vote for Federal, State, and local officials and 
to use the absentee balloting procedures to the greatest extent possible, 
it is recommended that each of the several States— 
(1) accept as applications for absentee ballots under such 
States' absentee balloting laws, as applications for registration 
under such States' election laws, and as sources of information 
to implement State absentee balloting laws, the form of post card 
(when duly executed by a person covered by section 101 of this 
Act) provided pursuant to this Act; 
(2) waive registration of persons covered by section 101 of 
this Act, who, by reason of their service, have been deprived of 
an opportunity to register; 
(3) accept the post card application provided pursuant to this 
Act as a simultaneous application for registration and for ballot; 
(4) if a special application is required for registration by mail, 
provide that the necessary forms will be sent with the absentee 
ballot and may be returned with it; 
(5) make provision for persons eligible to register and qualified 
to vote, who have been honorably discharged from the Armed 
Forces, or have terminated their service or employment, too late 
to register at the time when, and at the place where, registration 
is required, to vote at the election next ensuing after such discharge 
or termination. 
63 Stat. 954. 
5 u s e 1071 note. 
Procedures. 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 1955 
585 
(6) authorize and instruct the State or local election officials, 
upon receipt of the post card application provided pursuant to 
this Act, to mail immediately to the applicant a ballot, instructions 
for voting and returning the ballot, and a self-addressed envelope; 
(7) provide that there be printed across the face of each 
envelope in which a ballot is sent two parallel horizontal red 
bars, each one-quarter inch wide, extending from one side of the 
envelope to the other side, with an intervening space of one-
quarter inch, the top bar to be one and one-quarter inches from 
the top of the envelope, and with the words "Official Election 
Balloting Material—via Air Mail", or similar language, between 
the bars; that there be printed in the upper right corner of each 
such envelope, in a box, the words "Free of U. S. Postage, 
Including Air Mail"; that all printing on the face of each such 
envelope be in red; and that there be printed in red in the upper 
left corner of each State ballot envelope an appropriate inscrip-
tion or blanks for return address of sender; 
(8) provide that the gummed flap of the State envelope sup^ 
plied for the return of the ballot be separated by a wax paper or 
other appropriate protective insert from the remaining balloting 
material and that there be included in, State voting instructions a 
procedure to be followed by absentee voters, such as notation of 
the facts on the back of the envelope duly signed by the voter and 
witnessing officer, in instances of adhesion of the balloting 
material; 
(9) reduce in size and weight of paper, as much as possible, 
envelopes, ballots, and instructions for voting procedure ; 
(10) for the purposes of this Act, authorized oaths required by 
State law to be administered and attested by any commissioned 
officer in the active service of the Armed Forces, or any member 
of the merchant marine of the United States designated for this 
purpose by the Secretary of Commerce, or any civilian official 
empowered by State or Federal law to administer oaths; 
(11) include in State voting instructions express information 
concerning the type or types of writing instruments which may 
be used to mark the absentee ballot, preferably pen or indelible 
pencil; and 
(12) provide that absentee ballots will be available for mailing 
to the applicant as soon as practicable before the last date on 
which such ballot will be counted. 
SEC. 103. It is recommended that each of the several States make 
available to the officer designated by the President under section 201 
of this Act appropriate statistical data to assist him in compiling 
comprehensive information of operations under this Act. 
TITLE I I 
Statistical data. 
FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES 
SEC. 201. The President is hereby authorized to designate, with 
provision for redelegation, the head (hereinafter referred to as the 
Presidential designee) of any executive department or agency to coor-
dinate and facilitate such actions as may be required to discharge 
Federal responsibilities under this Act. 
The Presidential designee 
is authorized to request from other executive departments and agencies 
such assistance as he deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this 
Act, and shall submit a report to the President and to the Congress 
in odd-numbered years. Such report shall cover the administration of 
Federal responsibilities authorized under this title, the progress of the 
States in carrying out the recommendations contained in title I, sta-
P re s i d e n t i a l 
designee. 
Report* 
586 
PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 1955 
[69 S T A T . 
Ciirrent informa-
tion for States^ 
C c o p e ration of 
Gov't, officials. 
F e d e r a l 
p o s t 
card application. 
tistical data relating to absentee voting, and such other information 
as the Presidential designee may consider appropriate. 
SEC. 202. The Presidential designee shall request, annually or more 
often when appropriate, each State to furnish him with current 
absentee voting information for such State. Such information shall 
include election dates, officers to be elected, constitutional amendments, 
and other proposals to be voted on, absentee registration and voting 
procedures, and other relevant data. As soon as possible after receipt 
of such information, he shall furnish it to the departments and agen-
cies of the executive branch affected by this Act. Such departments 
and agencies are authorized to reprint and distribute such information 
to the extent necessary. 
SEC. 203. All Government officials shall, to the extent practicable 
and compatible with their primary responsibilities, cooperate with 
the Presidential designee in carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
All such officials shall, as far as practicable, take all reasonable meas-
ures to expedite, transmit, deliver, and return post cards, ballots, 
envelopes, and instructions for voting procedures mailed to or by 
persons to whom this Act is applicable. 
In addition, and as requested 
by the Presidential designee, it shall be the duty of— 
(1) the Attorney General to cooperate and advise with the 
Council of State Governments in the formulation of drafts of 
State legislation designed to implement the recommendations for 
State action contained in this Act; 
(2) the Administrator of General Services to cause to be printed 
and distributed post cards for use in accordance with the pro-
visions of this Act. 
Such post cards shall, wherever practicable 
and compatible with other operations, be made available by the 
department or agency concerned to persons to Avhom this Act is 
applicable for use at any general election at which electors for 
President and Vice President or Senators and Representatives are 
to be voted for. 
For use in such elections post cards shall be 
made available outside the territorial limits of the United States 
not later than August 15 prior to the election and within the 
territorial limits of the United States not later than September 
15 prior to the election. 
To the extent practicable and compatible 
with other operations, post cards shall also be made available 
at appropriate times to such persons for use in other general, 
primary, and special elections; and 
(3) the Postmaster General and the heads of the departments 
and agencies concerned, where practicable and compatible with 
their operations, to facilitate the transmission of balloting mate-
rial to and from persons to whom this Act is applicable. 
Ballots 
executed outside the United States by persons to whom this Act 
is applicable shall be returned by priority airmail wherever 
practicable, and such mail may be segregated from other forms 
of mail and placed in special bags marked with special tags 
printed and distributed by the Postmaster General for this 
purpose. 
SEC. 204. The form of the Federal post card application shall be as 
follows: 
(a) The cards shall be approximately nine and one-half by four 
and one-eighth inches in size. 
(b) Upon one side, perpendicular to the long dimension of the card, 
there shall be printed in black type the following: 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 1955 
587 
FILL OUT BOTH SIDES OF CARD 
POST CARD APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT 
State or Commonwealth of 
(Fill In name of State or Commonwealth) 
(1) I hereby request an absentee ballot to vote in the coming election : 
(GENERAL) 
(PRIMARY)* 
(SPECIAL) 
ELECTION 
(Strike out inapplicable words) 
(2) * If a ballot is requested for a primary election, print your political 
I 
party affiliation or preference in this box : 
I 
(If primary election is secret in your State, do not answer) 
(3) I am a citizen of the United States, eligible to vote in above State, and am : 
a. A member of the Armed Forces of the United States 
b. A member of the merchant marine of the United States 
c. A member of a religious or welfare organization assisting 
servicemen 
d. A civilian employed by the United States Government out-
side the United States (continental) 
e. A spouse or dependent of a person listed in (a), (b), or (c) 
above 
f. A spouse or dependent residing with a person described in 
(d) above 
(4) I was born on 
(Day) 
(Month) 
(Year) 
(5) For 
years preceding the above election my home (not military) residence in the 
above State has been 
(Street and number or rural route, etc.) 
The voting precinct or election district for this residence Isi 
(6) Remarks: 
(Enter if known) 
(7) Mail my ballot to the following official address : 
(Unit (^Co., Sq., Trp., Bn., Etc.), GovernmentafXgency, orlofflcej 
(Military Base, Station, Camp, Fort, Ship, Airfield, etc.) 
(Street No., APO, or FPO No.) 
(City, Postal Zone, and State) 
(8) I am NOT requesting a ballot from any other State and am not voting in any other 
manner in this election, except by absentee process, and have not voted and do not 
intend to vote in this election at any other address. 
(9) 
(10) 
(Full name, typed or printed, with rank or grade, and service number) 
(11) Subscribed and sworn to before me on 
(Day, month, and year) 
(Signature of person requesting ballot) 
(Signature of official administering 
oath) 
(Typed or printed name of official 
administering oath) 
(Title or rank, service number, ahd organization of administering official) 
INSTRUCTIONS 
A. Before filling out this form see your voting officer in regard to the voting laws of your 
State and absentee registration and voting procedure. 
B. Type or print all entries except signatures. 
F I L L OUT BOTH SIDES OF CARD. 
C. Address card to proper State official. 
Your voting officer or commanding officer will 
furnish you his title and address. 
D. Mail card as soon as your State will accept your application. 
E. NO postage is required for the card. 
588 
PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 19 55 
[69 STAT. 
(c) Upon the other side of the card there shall be printed in red 
type the following: 
FILL OUT BOTH SIDES OF THE CARD 
(Name) 
FREE OF U. S. Postage 
(Unit, Gov. Agency, or Ofllce) 
Including Air Mail 
(Mil. Base, Station, Ship or Office) 
'~Tst7eeFNo.~~APO,~or"FPb~lfo.~)"~' 
(CitY,~PostarZone7"s"tate)^ 
OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOTING MATERIAL—VIA AIR MAIL 
T o : 
(Title of Election Official) 
(County or Township) 
_ „ _ _ _ ^ _ _ „ ^ _ _ _ _ „ _ _ _ _ 
Me^\)er *^°? c^?J 
^^^' ^^^' "^^^^ previously authorized Federal post card form shall be 
gress. 
utilized prior to and in connection with the election for Members of 
Congress next ensuing after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
the Presidential designee shall initiate action to make such forms 
available to departments and agencies having a need therefor. 
There-
after only the post card form authorized in this Act shall be utilized. 
TITLE I I I 
DEFINITIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 
SEC 301. As used in this Act— 
(1) The term "Armed Forces" means the uniformed services as 
37 use 231. 
defined in section 102 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949 (63 
Stat. 804), as amended. 
(2) The term "members of the merchant marine of the United 
States" means persons (other than members of the Armed Forces) 
employed as officers or members of crews of vessels documented under 
the laws of the United States, or of vessels owned by the United States, 
or of vessels of foreign-flag registry under charter to or control of the 
United States, and persons (other than members of the Armed Forces) 
enrolled with the United States for employment, or for training for 
employment, or maintained by the United States for emergency relief 
service, as officers or members of crews of any such vessels; but does 
not include persons so employed, or enrolled for such employment or 
for training for such employment, or maintained for such emergency 
relief service, on the Great Lakes or the Inland waterways. 
(3) The term "dependent" means any person who is in fact a 
dependent. 
SEC 302. Official post cards, ballots, voting instructions, and en-
velopes referred to in this Act, whether transmitted individually or 
in bulk, shall be free of postage, including air-mail postage, in the 
United States mails. 
SEC 303. Every individual concerned with the administration of 
this Act shall take all necessary steps to prevent fraud, to protect 
voters against coercion of any sort, and to safeguard the integrity and 
secrecy of ballots cast. 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 298-AUG. 9, 1955 
589 
SEC. 304. No act done in good faith under this Act by a person serv-
ing in or with the Federal or military service of the United States 
in the exercise of his judgment as to what was practicable and com-
patible with military, merchant marine, or other Federal govern-
mental operations, shall constitute a violation of any provision of law 
relating to the elective franchise. 
SEC. 305. It shall be unlawful for any commissioned, noncommis-
sioned, warrant, or petty officer in the Armed Forces (1) to attempt 
to influence any member of the Armed Forces to vote or not to vote 
for any particular candidate, or (2) to require any member of the 
Armed Forces to march to any polling place or place of voting, but 
nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prohibit free discussion regard-
ing political issues or candidates for public office. 
SEC. 306. If any provision of this Act or the application of such 
provision to any person or circumstance shall be held invalid, the 
validity of the remainder of the Act and the applicability of such 
provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected 
thereby. 
SEC. 307. The Act entitled "An Act to provide for a method of 
voting, in time of war, by members of the land and naval forces absent 
from the place of their residence", approved September 16, 1942 (56 
Stat. 753), as amended, is repealed. 
SEC. 308. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such 
funds as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
Approved August 9, 1955. 
A c t s i n go o d 
faith, etc. 
Separability. 
Repeal. 
50 u s e 301-355. 
Appropriation. 
Public Law 297 
CHAPTER 657 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To provide that a gold medal be coined and presented to Doctor Jonas E. 
in honor of his achievements in the field of medicine. 
Salk 
August 9,1955 
[H.J. Res. 278] 
Resolved hy the ^Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled. That in recognition of the 
great achievement of Doctor Jonas E. Salk in the field of medicine by 
his discovery of a serum for the ])revention of poliomyelitis, the Secre-
tary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to cause to be struck 
and presented to Doctor Jonas E. Salk a gold medal with suitable 
emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary. 
For such purpose there is authorized to be appropriated the sum of 
$2,500. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause duplicates in 
bronze of such medal to be coined and sold, under such regulations as 
he may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof 
(including labor), and the appropriations used for carrying out the 
provisions of this section shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of 
such sale. 
Approved August 9, 1955. 
Dr. J o n a s 
E. 
Salk. 
Gold medal. 
Appropriatio n. 
Sale 
cates. 
of 
d u p l i -
Public Law 298 
CHAPTER 658 
AN ACT 
August 9,1955 
To extend the authority of the Corregidor Bataan Memorial Commission, and 
[H.R. 5469] 
for other purposes. 
Be it enaxited hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States 
of America 
in Congress assenihled^ That the Act t Corr e gidor Ba-
aa n Me mori al 
Commission.