Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 69.djvu/627

 69

STAT.]

585

PUBLIC LAW 296-AUG. 9, 1955

(6) authorize and instruct the State or local election officials, upon receipt of the post card application provided pursuant to this Act, to mail immediately to the applicant a ballot, instructions for voting and returning the ballot, and a self-addressed envelope; (7) provide that there be printed across the face of each envelope in which a ballot is sent two parallel horizontal red bars, each one-quarter inch wide, extending from one side of the envelope to the other side, with an intervening space of onequarter inch, the top bar to be one and one-quarter inches from the top of the envelope, and with the words "Official Election Balloting Material—via Air Mail", or similar language, between the bars; that there be printed in the upper right corner of each such envelope, in a box, the words "Free of U. S. Postage, Including Air Mail"; that all printing on the face of each such envelope be in red; and that there be printed in red in the upper left corner of each State ballot envelope an appropriate inscription or blanks for return address of sender; (8) provide that the gummed flap of the State envelope sup^ plied for the return of the ballot be separated by a wax paper or other appropriate protective insert from the remaining balloting material and that there be included in, State voting instructions a procedure to be followed by absentee voters, such as notation of the facts on the back of the envelope duly signed by the voter and witnessing officer, in instances of adhesion of the balloting material; (9) reduce in size and weight of paper, as much as possible, envelopes, ballots, and instructions for voting procedure; (10) for the purposes of this Act, authorized oaths required by State law to be administered and attested by any commissioned officer in the active service of the Armed Forces, or any member of the merchant marine of the United States designated for this purpose by the Secretary of Commerce, or any civilian official empowered by State or Federal law to administer oaths; (11) include in State voting instructions express information concerning the type or types of writing instruments which may be used to mark the absentee ballot, preferably pen or indelible pencil; and (12) provide that absentee ballots will be available for mailing to the applicant as soon as practicable before the last date on which such ballot will be counted. SEC. 103. I t is recommended that each of the several States make available to the officer designated by the President under section 201 of this Act appropriate statistical data to assist him in compiling comprehensive information of operations under this Act.

Statistical data.

TITLE II FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

SEC. 201. The President is hereby authorized to designate, with provision for redelegation, the head (hereinafter referred to as the Presidential designee) of any executive department or agency to coordinate and facilitate such actions as may be required to discharge Federal responsibilities under this Act. The Presidential designee is authorized to request from other executive departments and agencies such assistance as he deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act, and shall submit a report to the President and to the Congress in odd-numbered years. Such report shall cover the administration of Federal responsibilities authorized under this title, the progress of the States in carrying out the recommendations contained in title I, sta-

P re s i d e n t i a l designee.

Report*

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