the form of post card (when duly executed by a person to whom this Act is applicable) provided pursuant to section 203 of this title and section 3 of this Act prior to its amendment. "POST CARDS "SEC. 203. In order to afford an opportunity for persons to whom this title is applicable to vote for Federal, State, and local officials and to utilize State absentee balloting procedures to the greatest extent possible, the United States War Ballot Commission provided for in title III below shall cause to be printed and delivered to the Secretaries of War and Navy and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration an adequate number of post cards for use in accordance with the provisions of this title. The Secretaries of War and Navy and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration shall, wherever practicable and compatible with military operations, cause such post cards to be delivered to each person to whom this title is applicable for use for any general election at which electors for President and Vice President or Senators and Representatives in Congress are to be voted for, such delivery to be made outside of the United States not later than August 15 prior to the election, and within the United States not later than September 15 prior to the election. The post cards referred to shall also, wherever practicable and compatible with military operations, be made available to such persons at appropriate times for use in general elections other than those referred to above and for primary and special elections. "Upon one side of the post card shall be printed the following: "Secretary of state or other appropriate official within the State of "I am in the armed forces ( ); in the merchant marine (); or in the American Red Cross (), the Society of Friends ( ), the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots (), or the United Service Organizations ( ), and attached to and serving with the armed forces. I hereby request an absentee ballot to vote in the coming (primary, general, or special) election. "(1) I am a citizen of the United States. "(2) The date of my birth was years preceding this election my home residence has been in the State of "(3) For "(4) For been in the rural route) years preceding this election my home residence has (city, town, or village of) in the at (street and number, if any, or "(5) My voting district to the best of my knowledge is "(6) My choice of party PRIMARY ballot is_ "(Fill in only in case of primary ballot) "Please send the ballot to me at the following address: "(Commissioned officer, noncommissioned offcer not below the rank of sergeant, or petty officer, or other person authorized to administer and attest this oath, writes Upon the other side of the post card shall be printed the following: "FREE OF POSTAGE, INCLUDING AIR MAIL "(War Ballot) "Secretary of state of 66 "(City) 66 "(State) "In lieu of and interchangeably with the post cards referred to, the Secretaries of War and Navy may continue to deliver and make available, and the persons to whom this title is applicable may continue to use, post cards provided under section 3 of this Act prior to its amendment until the existing supply thereof is exhausted. In the event of any such delivery or making available to members of the armed forces of post cards provided under section 3 of this Act prior to its amendment, the Secretaries of War and Navy shall authorize changes in the text thereof to provide that the applicant shall print thereon his name and serial number, in addition to normal signature, and shall designate his party affiliation in the case of application for primary ballot. "FUNCTION OF POST CARDS "SEC. 204. Such post cards may be used, if State law permits, as applications for ballots under State absentee balloting laws, as applications for registration under State absentee balloting laws, or as sources of information to implement State absentee balloting laws. "INFORMATION REGARDING ELECTIONS "SEC. 205. The Commission shall, at appropriate times, furnish the Secretaries of War and Navy and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration with any information received from a secretary of state as to the dates of elections in such State, including general, special, and primary elections. The Secretaries of War and Navy and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration shall, whenever practicable and compatible with military operations, cause such information to be made available to persons to whom this title is applicable. "COOPERATION WITH STATES "SEC. 206. (a) It shall, wherever practicable and compatible with military operations, be the duty of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration, respectively, to cooperate with appropriate State officers and agencies in transmitting to and from persons to whom this title is applicable, making applications therefor to their several States, such absentee ballots, and envelopes to be used in connection therewith, as may be provided under the laws of the several States for the use of such applicants, and to cooperate in the execution by such applicants of oaths in connection with such ballots. 633956°-45 "(b) The Secretaries of War and Navy and other appropriate authorities shall, so far as practicable and compatible with military operations, take all reasonable measures to facilitate transmission, delivery, and return of post cards, ballots, envelopes, and instructions for voting procedure, mailed to and by persons to whom this title is applicable pursuant to the laws of the several States, whether transmitted by air or by regular mail. Ballots executed outside the United States shall be returned by air, whenever practicable and compatible with military operations. "SEC. 207. (a) It is recommended that the secretary of state of each of the several States, upon receipt of any such post-card application, promptly forward it to the proper county, city, or other election official or officials in order that the request for an absentee ballot may be acted upon as expeditiously as possible. "(b) It is recommended that the several States cooperate, to the end that county, city, or other election officials be authorized and instructed, upon receipt of an application made upon such a post card, to mail promptly to the voter making the application, if legally permissible under the laws of the State, a suitable absentee ballot, including therewith a self-addressed envelope for the use of the voter in returning the ballot and any instructions to govern the use of such ballot and envelope. "(c) It is recommended, so that the envelope in which the ballot is sent to the voter, and the envelope supplied for the return of the ballot, may be identified by the Post Office Department and other authorities as carrying an election ballot, that there be printed or stamped in a conspicuous place on each such envelope the words 'Official Election War Ballot'. It is further recommended that, in the case of States in which no provision is made, either on the envelope or separately, for sending with the absentee ballots a printed form to be used by a voter for the purpose of establishing his legal right to vote, appropriate action be taken to have printed and enclosed with absentee ballots mailed in response to applications received on the post cards hereinbefore referred to, a form for the signature and oath or affirmation of the voter; and it is suggested that a form substantially as follows would be appropriate for such purpose: "OATH OF ELECTOR FOR VOTING IN THE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN 19- "I do hereby swear (or affirm) that- been in the State of "(4) For years preceding this election my home residence has years preceding this election my home residence has been in the (city, town, or village, if any) of in the county of route) -9 111) at (street and number, if any, or rural ; ( (); "(5) I am (check appropriate blank)- "(6) I have not voted and do not intend to vote in this election at any address other than the above; and that I have not received or offered, do not expect to receive, have not paid, offered, or promised to pay, contributed, offered, or promised to contribute to another, to be paid or used, any money or other valuable thing as a compensation or reward for the giving of a vote at this election, and have not made any promise to influence the giving or withholding of any such vote. "(d) It is recommended that, in States where the voters' absentee ballot will not be available for mailing to the voter forty-five days prior to any primary, general or special election, such States cause to be made such changes in the election laws of their States as will lengthen such time; and that all States waive registration of all men and women in the military service who, by reason of such services, have been deprived of an opportunity to register. "(e) It is further recommended that the several States, in order to reduce the weight and bulk for air transport of absentee voting material being sent to persons to whom this Act is applicable, reduce in size and weight of paper, as much as possible, envelopes, ballots, and instructions for voting procedure. "TITLE III "USE OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEDERAL BALLOTS "UNITED STATES WAR BALLOT COMMISSION "SEC. 301. (a) There is established a United States War Ballot Commission (referred to in this Act as the Commission), which shall be composed of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Administrator of the War Shipping Administration, to serve for the duration of the war and six months thereafter. "(b) The Commission may receive assistance from other Federal departments and agencies in carrying out the purposes of this Act. (c) It shall be the duty of the Commission, in performing its functions under this Act, to consult with State officials. As soon as practicable after any election to which the provisions of this title apply, the Commission shall report to the Congress on the administration of this Act, including the reports received by the Commission from the secretaries of state of the several States. "APPLICATION OF THIS TITLE "SEC. 302. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), the provisions of this title shall apply with respect to the following: "(1) Members of the armed forces and the merchant marine of the United States, outside the United States. "(2) Persons serving with the American Red Cross, the Society of Friends, the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots, and the United Service Organizations, outside the United States who are attached to and serving with the armed forces of the United States. "(3) Members of the armed forces, inside the United States. "(b) The provisions of this title shall apply to, and the ballot provided for by this title may be used by "(1) an individual referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a), if he is a citizen of a State whose Governor has certified, prior to July 15 of the year in which the election is to be held, (A) that such State has made no provision for procedure which will enable the citizens thereof to whom subsection (a) applies to vote by State absentee ballot, and (B) that the use of ballots provided for by this title is authorized by the laws of such State; or "(2) an individual referred to in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a), if he is a citizen of a State whose Governor has certified, prior to July 15 of the year in which the election is to be held, that the use of ballots provided for by this title is authorized by the laws of such State, even though the Governor thereof does not make the certification referred to in clause (A) of paragraph (1), but only if such individual states in his oath that, prior to September 1, he made application for a State absentee ballot but, as of October 1, has not received it. No individual who is not included under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection shall be entitled to use, or be furnished, a ballot under this title. Certifications referred to in this subsection shall be made to the Commission. "OFFICIAL FEDERAL WAR BALLOTS, ENVELOPES, AND EXPLANATIONS "SEC. 303. (a) The Commission shall cause to be prepared and printed for use in voting in general elections under this title an adequate number of official Federal war ballots. Each ballot shall be printed in the following form insofar as the offices enumerated are appropriate to the particular election: "OFFICIAL FEDERAL WAR BALLOT "Instruction. To vote, write in the name of the candidate of your choice for each office. "ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES "(A vote for President includes a vote for Vice President of the same party, and shall be deemed to be a vote for the candidates by name for Presidential and Vice Presidential electors of his party in your State) "Write in the name of your choice for President. "UNITED STATES SENATOR "(ONLY if a Senator is to be elected in your State) |