The Pittsburgh Press (August 31, 1944)
Most soldiers to vote ballots of their states
Cooperation of legislature, speedy Army handling to make it possible
By Charles T. Lucey, Scripps-Howard staff writer
Washington –
Notwithstanding all the controversy over the federal soldier-vote ballot a few months ago, cooperation of the states and speedy Army handling of overseas voting apparently will result in a vast majority of soldiers voting the ballots of their states.
The job of getting ballots to more than four million men overseas is the biggest thing of its kind ever attempted.
Posters aid voting
Fast as is the action in France, many thousand ballot applications are pouring in from there. In troop headquarters in Burmese jungles, in Italy, the Marianas and France. Posters are up telling soldiers how they may vote.
Thirty more state legislatures have granted more liberal soldier vote provisions, and the federal ballot is now considered chiefly as supplemental, available to overseas soldiers of 20 states which have authorized its use if state ballots have not reached them. even when the federal ballot is used, state ballots, on which the soldier may vote for state and local offices, as well as federal, may be used later to supersede it.
Distributes cards
The Army distributes cards to all soldiers on which they may apply for ballots of their own states (this has been done). If they wish to vote, soldiers fill out these cards and forward them to secretaries of state in their home states. The state determines each soldier’s eligibility, forwards his ballot to him individually, and when he has voted, the ballot is returned by individual letter to his voting district.
If an overseas soldier has applied for his state ballot by Sept. 1 and has not received it by Oct. 1, and he is from a state where the federal ballot has been authorized, he may ask for one and vote for President and Vice President, Senator and Congressman.
Ballots flown back
If the soldier later receives his state ballot, he still may vote it, and if it reaches his home state before the closing date for receiving absentee ballots, his federal ballot will be thrown out and his state ballot counted.
The Army is distributing five posters to instruct and facilitate soldier voting.
State ballots are in specially-marked envelopes and the Army carries them by plane to and from all theaters. Federal ballots have been distributed in bulk, sometimes by ship, but all will be returned by plane.
Except for a small executive staff at the top, the soldier voting project is being managed through regular Army channels. Soldier voting officers have been sent to all theaters.