Veteran and Military Family Groups Affirm Support for Voting Rights of Overseas Service Members and Their Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following statement was released by more than a dozen veteran service organizations in response to recent lawsuits in the swing states of Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania that challenge the validity of ballots cast by U.S. citizens living abroad, including members of the U.S. military.

“As organizations serving and representing the military community, we are united in protecting the voting rights of members of the armed services and their families.”

Large-scale military absentee voting in the United States dates back to the Civil War when, in the 1864 presidential election, states changed their laws to permit service members to vote from the field.  During World War I, nearly all states let service members vote while deployed during war time and military absentee voting was again ensured during World War II through the Soldier Voting Act. These precedents paved the way for modern legislation including the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act) on which our men and women in uniform and their families rely to exercise their essential franchise while away from their home states in service to our nation. 

“In the 2020 elections 528,328 of these patriotic Americans utilized the processes provided under these laws this election cycle.  Their continued unimpeded functioning is essential to this community.  Indeed, it is of paramount importance to all Americans that the rights of our service members and their families are preserved in full, lest we betray our commitments to these men and women to whom our country owes so much.  Our resolve to ensure these sacred commitments are kept is steadfast, and we encourage our members and supporters to voice the same.”

Signed,

We the Veterans & Military Families
Veterans of Foreign Wars
American Legion
The Mission Continues
National Military Family Association
Blue Star Families
Mission Roll Call
Military Officers Association of America
+More Perfect Union
Combined Arms
Student Veterans of America
Veterans for All Voters
Military Veterans in Journalism
Vet Voice Foundation
Disabled Veterans Empowerment Network
The Chamberlain Network
Secure Families Initiative