58 STAT.] 78TH CONG. , 2D SESS.-CH. 150-APR . 1 , 1944 "(3) to destroy, as soon as practicable after the completion of voting within his unit, all official Federal war ballots in his cus- tody remaining unused. "(c) It shall be unlawful for any commissioned, noncommissioned, warrant, or petty officer in the armed forces of the United States (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 regarding political issues or candidates for public office. " DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION OF BALLOTS FOR THE MERCHANT MARINE "SEC. 308 . The Administrator of the War Shipping Administration shall cause ballots, envelopes, instructions for voting procedure, and lists of candidates for voting in general elections to be made available to members of the merchant marine of the United States upon request. The Administrator shall provide a convenient place for marking such ballots in secret, and shall cause executed ballots to be collected and transmitted to the appropriate secretaries of state or to appropriate representatives of the War and Navy Departments for such trans- mission. The Secretaries of War and Navy shall arrange, so far as practicable, for the receipt of such ballots and their transmission to the appropriate secretaries of state together with the ballots of mem- bers of the armed forces. The Administrator may delegate to the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, with the consent of such Secretary, any function of the Administrator under this title. 'T RANSMISSION OF BALWOT8 "SEC. 309 . (a) The Secretaries of War and Navy and other appro- priate authorities shall, so far as practicable and compatible with military operations, take all reasonable measures to facilitate trans- mission, delivery, and return of ballots, envelopes, instructions for voting procedure, and lists of candidates, transmitted to and from persons to whom this title is applicable, whether transmitted by air or by regular mail. Ballots executed outside the United States shall be transmitted by air, whenever practicable and compatible with military operations. "(b) The secretary of state of any State, upon receiving any ballot cast under this title, shall at an appropriate time transmit it to the appropriate election officials of the district, precinct, county, or other voting unit of the voter's residence. Such officials shall take oath that they will not disclose to anyone (unless required by law) how any absentee shall have voted. Such officials shall determine that the oath required under sections 303 and 304 has been executed and that it is in order, pursuant to section 311, to open the official inner envelope; whereupon such officials shall compile a voting list of the names appearing on all such inner envelopes received from the secre- tary of state. No person other than such appropriate election offi- cials shall open any official outer or inner envelope purporting to contain a ballot cast under this title. "RE PORTS "SED. 310. (a) The Secretaries of War and Navy and the Adminis- trator of the War Shipping Administration shall report to the Commission on balloting under this title, including the number of ballots received, distributed, executed, and transmitted to the secre- 145 Destruction of un- used ballots. Unlawful acts. Free discussion of political issues, etc. Use of air mail. Nondisclosure of in- formation. Ante, pp. 141,143. PoN, p. 146 . 9365o--45 - -P . - 10
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