Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 1.djvu/159

 78TH CONG., 2D SESS.-CH. 150-APR. 1, 1944 "COOPERATION WITH STATES "SEC. 206. (a) It shall, wherever practicable and compatible with military operations, be the duty of the Secretary of War, the Secre- tary of the Navy, and the Administrator of the War Shipping Admin- istration, respectively, to cooperate with appropriate State officers and agencies in transmitting to and from persons to whom this title is applicable, making applications therefor to their several States, such absentee ballots, and envelopes to be used in connection therewith, as may be provided under the laws of the several States for the use of such applicants, and to cooperate in the execution by such appli- cants of oaths in connection with such ballots. "(b) The Secretaries of War and Navy and other appropriate authorities shall, so far as practicable and compatible with military operations, take all reasonable measures to facilitate transmission, delivery, and return of post cards, ballots, envelopes, and instructions for voting procedure, mailed to and by persons to whom this title is applicable pursuant to the laws of the several States, whether trans- mitted by air or by regular mail. Ballots executed outside the United States shall be returned by air, whenever practicable and compatible with military operations. "SEC. 207. (a) It is recommended that the secretary of state of each of the several States, upon receipt of any such post-card applica- tion, promptly forward it to the proper county, city, or other election official or officials in order that the request for an absentee ballot may be acted upon as expeditiously as possible. "(b) It is recommended that the several States cooperate, to the end that county, city, or other election officials be authorized and instructed, upon receipt of an application made upon such a post card, to mail promptly to the voter making the application, if legally permissible under the laws of the State, a suitable absentee ballot, including therewith a self-addressed envelope for the use of the voter in returning the ballot and any instructions to govern the use of such ballot and envelope. "(c) It is recommended, so that the envelope in which the ballot is sent to the voter, and the envelope supplied for the return of the ballot, may be identified by the Post Office Department and other authorities as carrying an election ballot, that there be printed or stamped in a conspicuous place on each such envelope the words 'Official Election War Ballot'. It is further recommended that, in the case of States in which no provision is made, either on the envelope or separately, for sending with the absentee ballots a printed form to be used by a voter for the purpose of establishing his legal right to vote, appropriate action be taken to have printed and enclosed with absentee ballots mailed in response to applications received on the post cards hereinbefore referred to, a form for the signature and oath or affirmation of the voter; and it is suggested that a form substantially as follows would be appropriate for such purpose: "OATH OF ELECTOR FOR VOTING IN THE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN 19-- "I do hereby swear (or affirm) that- "(1) I am a citizen of the United States; "(2) The date of my birth was "(3) For -- years preceding this election my home residence has been in the State of - "(4) For -- years preceding this election my home residence has been in the (city, town, or village, if any) of --- , in the county of -- , at (street and number, if any, or rural route) - Air-mail return of ballots. Forwarding of ap- plications to local officals. Prompt mailing of ballots, etc. Identification on en- velopes. Form for establish- ment of legal right to vote. 58 STAT.] 139

�