The GOP is taking aim at absentee ballots for U.S. citizens living abroad, and military voters are caught in the crossfire.
With just weeks until Election Day, Republicans are filing lawsuits in swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, challenging the validity of absentee ballots cast by overseas voters—including military members.
At a glance:
- Republicans have filed lawsuits in key battleground states questioning the validity of overseas absentee ballots.
- The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ensures military members and citizens abroad can vote, but Republicans argue state rules go beyond federal law.
- Election officials warn these last-minute lawsuits may undermine confidence and discourage overseas voting.
In the final stretch before the election, Republicans are questioning absentee ballots cast by military members and U.S. citizens abroad. These lawsuits, filed in crucial swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, challenge the eligibility and verification procedures for overseas voters. The federal law governing overseas voting, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), has been in place since 1986 and allows military members and their families to cast absentee ballots.
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However, Republicans argue that certain states are skirting identity verification rules and extending voting rights to individuals who don’t meet residency requirements. For example, Michigan and North Carolina allow citizens who have never lived in the U.S. but whose parents once resided in the state to vote. GOP leaders claim this stretches the definition of “residency” and opens the door to fraud.
Despite these claims, election officials and experts warn that these challenges are likely a tactic to cast doubt on election results. Judges are holding hearings in Michigan and Pennsylvania, while North Carolina’s case will be heard soon. Legal experts argue the timing of these lawsuits is problematic, noting that the rules have been in place for years and raising these issues now seems intended to fuel post-election challenges.
Military and overseas voters, who cast nearly 900,000 ballots in 2020, make up a small but potentially decisive part of the electorate, particularly in swing states.
