Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 70A.djvu/145

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87 Force, Treasury, and Commerce shall each have the information supplied under subsection (a) made available to the persons covered by section 1074 of this title. § 1082. Extension of time limit It is recommended that each State that, under its laws, will not have its absentee ballots available for mailing to the persons covered by section 1074 of this title at least 45 days before a primary, general, or special election, amend its laws to make the ballots so available. § 1083. Transmission, delivery, and return of post cards, ballots, etc. (a) Whenever practicable and compatible with military and merchant-marine operations, the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Treasury, and Commerce, the Postmaster General, and other appropriate authorities shall— (1) cooperate with appropriate State officers and agencies in sending State absentee ballots and envelopes for them to and from the persons covered by section 1074 of this title; (2) cooperate in the execution by those persons of oaths required in connection with those ballots; and (3) take all reasonable measures to facilitate the transmission, delivery, and return of post cards, ballots, envelopes, and instructions for voting, mailed to or by those persons. (b) Whenever practicable and compatible with military and merchant-marine operations, ballots executed outside of the United States shall be returned by air. § 1084. Administration (a) The Secretaries of the military departments shall each administer this chapter for the members of the armed forces under his jurisdiction and for civilians officially attached to, and serving outside the United States with, those forces. (b) Except when the Coast Guard is operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of the Treasury shall administer this chapter for members of the Coast Guard and for civilians officially attached to, and serving outside the United States with, the Coast Guard. (c) The Secretary of Commerce shall administer this chapter for members of the merchant marine of the United States. (d) The Secretaries of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Treasury, and Commerce, may each delegate any function he has under this chapter to any other of those Secretaries, if that Secretary consents. § 1085. Prevention of fraud, coercion, and undue influence; free discussion; acts done in good faith (a) Each person concerned with the administration of this chapter shall take all steps necessary to— (1) prevent fraud; (2) protect voters against coercion; and (3) safeguard the integrity and secrecy of the ballots cast. (b) No officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer of the armed forces may— (1) attempt to influence a member of the armed forces to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate; or 8191.•} O—56

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