How will a proposed nationwide ballot deadline balance the demand for immediate results with protecting overseas military voters?

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It would speed results only if Congress also preserves special protections for military and overseas voters; otherwise, a strict receipt-by-poll-closing rule would likely cause more of their ballots to be rejected. The Lankford-Lee bill would require all absentee and mail ballots to be in election offices by the time polls close on Election Day, eliminating state grace periods for ballots that are mailed on time but arrive later. Supporters say that would standardize deadlines and reduce the days or weeks some states take to finish counting. The main tension is that overseas and military voters often depend on long-distance mail, and late arrival is already the most common reason their ballots are not counted. Federal law under UOCAVA helps on the front end by requiring states to send ballots at least 45 days before federal elections, but that does not solve return-mail delays from bases, ships, or overseas posts. The Supreme Court’s recent Watson ruling specifically noted that UOCAVA fits with states setting later receipt rules, and many states now use those grace periods to protect these voters. If Congress adopts a nationwide receipt deadline, election officials and voting experts say the practical safeguard would be to expand nonmail return options for UOCAVA voters, such as electronic ballot delivery, ballot return by fax or secure electronic methods where allowed, use of the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, and clearer tracking and earlier mailing. Some states already…

Lankford, Lee Propose U.S. Ballot Receipt Deadline by 7 p.m. Poll Closing

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Lankford, Lee Propose U.S. Ballot Receipt Deadline by 7 p.m. Poll Closing

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