The Democratic National Committee (DNC) sued the Pentagon on 1 October over federal overseas voting forms that no longer offer a box for US citizens who have never lived in the United States1. The forms come from the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the Defense Department office that administers voting for troops and Americans abroad, which removed the option from two forms in late September. Democracy Docket, which tracks election litigation, reports that the DNC has not asked for emergency relief.
17OCT
DNC sues Pentagon over overseas forms
1 min read
17:30UTC
The Democratic National Committee sued the Pentagon on 1 October after federal overseas-ballot forms dropped the option for US citizens who have never lived in the country.
PoliticsDeveloping
Key takeaway
The DNC is challenging the Pentagon's removal of the never-lived-in-US option from overseas voting forms.
Deep Analysis
In plain English
Americans living abroad vote by post using federal forms run by the Pentagon's voting-assistance office. Some US citizens were born abroad and have never lived in the United States; many states let them vote using a parent's former address. The forms used to have a box for those citizens. The new forms dropped it, and the Democratic National Committee has gone to court to restore it.
Root Causes
The 1986 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act covers citizens abroad, but whether children born abroad to US parents may vote depends on each state's law. The federal forms carried the box so those citizens could apply in states that allow it.
The Pentagon runs the forms through its Federal Voting Assistance Program. A form change needs no act of Congress, so a policy shift can arrive months before an election.
What could happen next?
- Risk
Some never-resident citizens may not receive ballots in time for 3 November if their requests are queried.
Sources:Democracy Docket
First Reported In
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Read original →Causes and effects
This Event
DNC sues Pentagon over overseas forms
The suit challenges a form change that affects US citizens born or raised abroad who have never lived in the United States.
Different Perspectives
James Talarico's campaign
Talarico's campaign reported raising $56.34m in the quarter to Ken Paxton's $10.17m, and says he has been off the trail since 30 September with flu. Texas PAC, whose only donor is SLF, has spent $131.5m in the race, more than twice what the campaign spent.
Senate Majority PAC, spokesperson Lauren French
French said on 8 October that the Democratic super PAC was watching Kansas closely, but its booked airtime covers nine states and Kansas is not one. Whether SMP spends there decides if Adam Hamilton's 13-to-1 fundraising edge meets outside Republican money alone.
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State
Raffensperger's office reported 188,667 in-person votes on the first day of early voting, a midterm record. He expects turnout to challenge 2022's near 4m.
Sam Hayes, North Carolina State Board of Elections
Hayes's board reported 1,392 SAVE flags, about 0.02% of the roll, and says no voter will be removed automatically. The board is asking flagged voters to cancel or prove citizenship by letter, while eligible voters keep the right to vote on 3 November.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Thune, the Senate's Republican leader, said the government-paid ads should not be funded by taxpayers. His objection puts the party's own Senate leadership against the administration on the DHS spending.
The White House and Donald Trump
The White House calls the five DHS ads public-service announcements with no call to action; Trump called them "rather standard", then said his political fundraising would pay. A White House official said there are no immediate plans to repay.
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Editorial standards.