View Rule

This rule removes DoD internal policies and procedures that are publicly available on www.fvap.gov. This will provide operational flexibility for DoD components to maximize voting assistance program effectiveness and outcomes. The rule will require DoD components to establish component-wide programs to communicate and disseminate voting information to commanders, voting assistance officers and uniformed services members, overseas DoD civilian members and their voting age dependents in coordination with FVAP. This will allow DoD to uniformly carry out efforts to maximize awareness of UOCAVA eligibility and resources. This rule will also remove the responsibility for the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) to establish a demonstration project to permit absent uniformed services voters to vote for Federal office through an electronic voting system.

The Department of Defense is publishing this rule as interim to maintain and improve the current FVAP program. It provides direction and guidance to the Department of Defense and other Federal departments and agencies in establishing voting assistance programs for citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and other federal voting assistance and voter registration laws. This 2020 election schedule requires that the administrative changes to policies and procedures set forth in the rule must be in place to ensure that citizens voting under UOCAVA are fully guided and supported through established voting assistance programs within the Federal departments and agencies. The FVAP assists U.S. citizens covered under UOCAVA in exercising their voting rights and serves as a critical resource for these individuals to successfully register and vote through its absentee balloting assistance program.

The amendment of 32 CFR part 233 supports a recommendation of the DoD Regulatory Reform Task Force.