DoD Directive 1000.04

Department of Defense

DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 1000.04
April 14, 2004
Certified Current as of April 23, 2007
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
References: (a) DoD Directive 1000.4, "Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP),"
June 3, 2002 (hereby canceled)
(b) Executive Order 12642, "Designation of the Secretary of Defense as the
Presidential Designee Under Title I of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act," June 8, 1988
(c) Section 1973ff. of title 42, United States Code
(d) Sections 596, 608, and 609 of title 18, United States Code
(e) through (g), see enclosure 1
1. REISSUANCE AND PURPOSE
This Directive:
1.1. Reissues reference (a) to update policy and responsibilities for the FVAP under
reference (b).
1.2. Continues to implement reference (b), wherein the Secretary of Defense is named the
"Presidential designee" and assigned responsibility for oversight of the FVAP under reference
(c).

2. APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE
This Directive applies to:
2.1. The Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Coast Guard
(when it is not operating as a Military Service of the Navy by agreement with the Department of
Homeland Security), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities and all other organizational entities in the Department of Defense (hereafter
referred to collectively as the "DoD Components").

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004

2.2. The Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS) and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under agreements with the Departments of Health and
Human Services, and Commerce, respectively. The term "Uniformed Services" refers to the
Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and their Reserve
components, as well as the Commissioned Corps of the PHS and the NOAA.
2.3. Other Federal Executive Departments and Agencies that provide assistance to the FVAP
under reference (c). (Participating Federal Executive Departments and Agencies shall adopt
regulations and procedures that conform to this Directive to the maximum extent practicable,
consistent with their organizational missions.)

3. DEFINITIONS
Terms used in this Directive are defined in enclosure 2.

4. POLICY
It is DoD policy that:
4.1. The Heads of the DoD Components and the Uniformed Services shall encourage
eligible voters in their organizations to register and vote in elections for Federal, State, and local
office.
4.2. The FVAP shall ensure that eligible voters receive, under reference (c), information
about registration and voting procedures and materials pertaining to scheduled elections,
including dates, offices, constitutional amendments, and other ballot proposals.
4.3. Every eligible voter shall:
4.3.1. Be given, unless military necessity precludes it, an opportunity to register and vote
in any election for which he or she is eligible.
4.3.2. Be able to vote in person or by absentee process when local conditions allow the
voter to participate in the electoral process.
4.3.3. Receive voting assistance in a manner that safeguards the integrity of the electoral
process and secrecy of the ballot.
4.4. All persons assisting in the voting process shall take all necessary steps to prevent
fraud and to protect voters against any coercion, including the following:

2

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004

4.4.1. No member of the Uniformed Services shall attempt to influence the vote of any
other member, or to require any member to march to any polling place or place of voting as
proscribed under 18 U.S.C. 608 and 609 (reference (d)). Nothing in this Directive shall be
considered to prohibit free discussion about political issues or candidates for public office as
prescribed in reference (d).
4.4.2. No person shall poll any member of the Armed Forces before or after he or she
votes, as proscribed in reference (d). If any such member is polled, that event shall be reported
through the chain of command to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program.
4.4.3. Nothing in this Directive shall preclude conducting official surveys authorized by
reference (c) to report to the President and the Congress on the effectiveness of the assistance
provided to eligible voters, including a separate statistical analysis of voter participation and a
description of Federal-State cooperation.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES
5.1. The Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall:
5.1.1. Administer the FVAP for the Presidential designee, the Secretary of Defense.
5.1.2. Designate a civilian employee as the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program.
The Director shall be responsible for all aspects of the FVAP, and shall have the necessary
authority to administer that responsibility.
5.1.3. Act for the Presidential designee to coordinate and implement actions that may be
necessary to discharge Federal responsibilities assigned in references (b) and (c).
5.1.4. Manage, coordinate, and perform the responsibilities assigned to the Presidential
designee in reference (c).
5.1.5. Establish and maintain liaison with officials of the State legislatures, and with
State and local government officials.
5.1.6. Be the sole Federal Executive Branch representative for obtaining from each State
current voting information and disseminating it to other Federal Executive Departments,
Agencies, and the DoD Components pursuant to reference (c). In this regard, the DoD
Components and participating Departments and Agencies may not contact State and local
government officials about voting matters.
5.1.7. Encourage and assist States and other U.S. jurisdictions to adopt the mandatory
and recommended provisions of reference (c) and advise them on how Federal laws and
regulations apply to their individual electoral systems.

3

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004
5.1.8. Establish and maintain a DoD Voting Assistance Program to cover all eligible
voters of the Department of Defense (military and civilian) and other citizens covered by
reference (c) and to assist those personnel to vote. Conduct Voting Assistance Workshops
during even-numbered years worldwide.
5.1.9. Publicize the right of citizens to participate in the electoral process under reference
(c).
5.1.10. Review and coordinate the informational and educational efforts directed toward
all persons covered by reference (c).
5.1.11. Provide an ombudsman service for all persons covered by reference (c) and for
State and local government officials.
5.1.12. Designate an "Armed Forces Voters Week" in August or September of each
even-numbered year to encourage military personnel and their family members to exercise their
right to vote.
5.1.13. Survey U.S. citizens (military and civilian) covered by reference (c) to gather
necessary statistical information for the report to the President and the Congress required by
reference (c).
5.1.14. Prescribe the standard oath to be used with any document under reference (c).
5.1.15. As discussed in DoD 4525.6-M (reference (e)), implement measures, to the
maximum extent practicable, to ensure that a postmark or other proof of mailing date is provided
on each absentee ballot collected at any overseas location or vessel at sea and that voting
materials are moved expeditiously by military postal authorities.
5.2. The Heads of the DoD Components and the Uniformed Services shall:
5.2.1. Disseminate voting information to assist eligible voters in their organization in the
following ways:
5.2.1.1. Develop written policies to support all eligible military personnel and their
family members including those in deployed, dispersed, and tenant organizations. Establish the
ratio and maximum number of voters that may be represented by a Voting Assistance Officer
based on the ratio required in subparagraph 5.2.1.4.2.
5.2.1.2. Ensure command support at all levels for the FVAP.
5.2.1.3. Designate a uniformed officer of general or flag rank in each Uniformed
Service as the "Senior Service Voting Representative" to manage the respective Service voting
programs. A "Service Voting Action Officer," preferably a civilian employee (GS-12 or
higher), shall assist the Senior Service Voting Representative and shall be responsible for voting
assistance operations within his or her Service. If the Service Voting Action Officer is a

4

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004
military member, he or she shall be at least of pay grade O-4, if an officer, or of pay grade E-8 if
an enlisted member. The Service Voting Action Officer shall be a permanently assigned
member within the Senior Service Voting Representative's organization and shall have such
assistance as may be necessary to meet FVAP goals. The Chief/Director of each Reserve
component shall coordinate with the Senior Service Voting Representative and the Director,
FVAP, to maintain a contingency absentee voting program for the National Guard and Reserve
units and personnel who have been activated and deployed.
5.2.1.4. Designate Voting Assistance Officers at every level of command.
5.2.1.4.1. Assign one Voting Assistance Officer on each installation and in each
major command to coordinate the programs conducted by subordinate units and tenant
commands. Each Reserve component shall also designate a Voting Assistance Officer at its
Headquarters level. Where possible, Installation Voting Assistance Officers should be a civilian
GS-12 or higher. If a military member is assigned as the Installation Voting Assistance Officer,
that officer should hold the pay grade of O-4 or higher. Each Installation Voting Assistance
Officer shall notify installation personnel of the last date before a general Federal election by
which absentee ballots must be mailed from that installation to reasonably be delivered in time to
State and local election officials.
5.2.1.4.2. Designate and assign in writing a Unit Voting Assistance Officer, at
the O-2/E-7 level or above within each unit of 25 or more permanently assigned members. An
additional Unit Voting Assistance Officer should be assigned for each additional 50 members
above the 25-member base. Unit Voting Assistance Officers shall ensure that all small and
geographically separated units are assisted. When military personnel (including
noncommissioned officers) are designated as Voting Assistance Officers, this Directive
authorizes them to administer oaths in connection with voter registration and voting.
5.2.1.4.3. Ensure that Voting Assistance Officers are available and equipped
to personally assist voters for all elections. Additionally, any person appearing to need
assistance in reading or understanding English language material on voting or voter registration
should receive immediate assistance in the appropriate language. Voting Assistance Officers
shall be provided the time and resources needed to perform their voting assistance duties,
especially during even-numbered years. Ensure that Uniformed Services members and their
voting-age dependents have ready access to absentee voter registration, ballot request and
absentee ballot submission information, and deadlines.
5.2.1.5. Expeditiously obtain and disseminate voting information and related
materials, such as the "Voting Assistance Guide"; Standard Form (SF) 76, "Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA)"; and SF 186, "Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)." To do this:
5.2.1.5.1. Purchase sufficient materials to furnish registration and ballot
request support for all elections.

5

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004

5.2.1.5.2. Establish a DoD Component-wide means to communicate
effectively with and expeditiously disseminate voting information to Commanders, Voting
Assistance Officers, and military and overseas DoD civilian members of the DoD Component
and their voting age dependents. Establish within each military installation and major command
a Voting Assistance Officer network and communications capability to quickly disseminate
voting information throughout the installation or major command.
5.2.1.5.3. Develop a system to ensure the in-hand delivery of Federal Post
Card Applications to all eligible voters. The system record keeping may include numbers or
percent contacted, but may not include names (or any other identifying information) of
individual citizens.
5.2.1.6. Ensure the delivery of SFs 76:
5.2.1.6.1. By January 15 of each calendar year deliver SFs 76 in-hand to
eligible voters and their voting-age dependents.
5.2.1.6.2. By August 15 of even-numbered years provide SFs 76 to eligible
voters, including DoD civilian employees and voting-age dependents, who are serving outside
the territorial limits of the United States.
5.2.1.6.3. By September 15 of even-numbered years provide SFs 76 to
eligible voters, including voting-age dependents, in the United States.
5.2.1.6.4. Before graduation and detachment from recruit training.
5.2.1.7. Ensure that adequate numbers of SFs 76 are available for military members
and their voting-age dependents, and overseas DoD civilians during check-in processing as a
result of permanent change of station orders and that they receive assistance in properly
completing the form. These SFs 76 shall be used to notify local election officials of the change
of mailing address.
5.2.1.8. Require the Inspectors General of the Military Departments to review their
voting assistance program annually at every level of command to ensure compliance with DoD
regulations and public law and submit their reports to the DoD Inspector General by January 31
of the following year.
5.2.1.9. Continually evaluate command voting programs.
5.2.1.10. Establish and maintain a Voting Assistance Program homepage on the DoD
Component's website. This homepage shall provide DoD Component-specific information
regarding its Voting Assistance Program, including links to the assigned Voting Assistance
Officers (company/squadron level and above and commissioned units) within the DoD
Component; procedures to order voting materials; and links to other Federal and State voting
websites, including a link to the FVAP website. Designate at least one well-advertised fixed

6

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004
location on bases, installations, and ships where absentee voting material and voting assistance
are available to all military personnel, family members, and overseas DoD civilian employees.
5.2.1.11. Develop comprehensive command-wide voting awareness and assistance
programs and activities in conjunction with Armed Forces Voters Week. A special day or days
shall be designated at each military installation to inform Uniformed Services members and their
voting-age dependents of absentee registration and voting procedures and, minimally, of the
absentee registration and ballot request deadlines preceding general elections for Federal offices.
5.2.1.12. Establish and publicize a special telephone service, the "Voting Action
Line," to link unit voting officers with their respective Service or Departmental Voting Action
Officer. Emphasize rapid and accurate responses and solutions to voting-oriented problems.
5.2.1.13. Provide telephone operators at every military installation with the names,
e-mail addresses, and office telephone numbers of unit or installation Voting Assistance Officers.
5.2.1.14. Train all Service members (including activated National Guard and Reserve
personnel) on absentee registration and voting procedures during years of elections for Federal
offices. All basic training and command courses shall emphasize and advertise voting
assistance programs to encourage junior Service members to register and subsequently vote and
include instruction on voting rights and responsibilities and procedures on absentee registration
and voting. They also shall provide training and voting assistance for units preparing for
deployment where voting materials and accessibility to register may be limited due to at-sea or
remote area deployment. Train all Reserve component personnel during years of elections for
Federal offices on all aspects of the voting program, to include familiarity with the FPCA and the
FWAB.
5.2.1.15. Require that all major command, Installation and Unit Voting Assistance
Officers attend an FVAP Voting Assistance Workshop during even-numbered years with
elections for Federal offices. If the installation is not scheduled to receive FVAP workshop
training, Installation and Unit Voting Assistance Officers should attend training at a nearby
installation. Voting Assistance Officers at remote locations can access the FVAP website for
training. Document the training of Voting Assistance Officers at the installation or base level
and within local personnel records.
5.2.1.16. Require commanders to rate Voting Assistance Officers on the way they
perform their voting assistance duties. Commanders shall establish the evaluation criteria for
Voting Assistance Officer performance within their command.
5.2.1.17. File an after-action report in the format and manner that the Director, FVAP
specifies.
5.2.1.18. Assist the FVAP in conducting official surveys in the manner specified by
the Director, FVAP.

7

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004
5.2.2. Refrain from contacting State and local government officials about voting matters.
The Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) shall be the sole
DoD representative for contact and coordination with Federal, State, and local government
entities for voting assistance and elections pursuant to reference (c).
5.3. In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 1566 (reference (f)), the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense shall periodically conduct, at DoD installations, unannounced
assessments of those installations' compliance with the provisions of reference (c) and with this
Directive.
5.4. The Inspectors General of the Military Departments shall provide a report of their
assessment required under subparagraph 5.2.1.8., to the Inspector General of the Department of
Defense, by January 31 of each year.
5.5. Combatant Commanders: Combatant Commanders bear additional responsibility to
ensure that deployed forces have access to federal voting assistance information, particularly in
remote or difficult locations. Combatant Commanders shall highlight within the operational
chain of command the importance they and the Department attach to participation by U.S. forces
in the Federal, State, and local election process, and make every reasonable effort to assist the
Military Departments in discharging the responsibilities outlined elsewhere in this Directive.

6. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS
6.1. The Statistical Analysis and Reporting requirements in paragraphs 5.1.13. and 5.2.1.18.,
above, have been assigned Report Control Symbol DD-DA&M(AR)1918 according to DoD
8910.1-M (reference (g)).
6.2. The after action reports referred to in subparagraph 5.2.1.17., above, are exempt from
licensing in accordance with reference (g).

7. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Directive is effective immediately.

Enclosures - 2
E1. References, continued
E2. Definitions

8

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004

E1. ENCLOSURE 1
REFERENCES, continued
(e) DoD 4525.6-M, "Department of Defense Postal Manual," August 15, 2002
(f) Section 1566 of title 10, United States Code
(g) DoD 8910.1-M, "DoD Procedures for Management of Information Requirements," June 30,
1998

9

ENCLOSURE 1

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004

E2. ENCLOSURE 2
DEFINITIONS
E2.1.1. Eligible Voter. Any of the following:
E2.1.1.1. An "absent Uniformed Services voter," defined as an active duty member of
the Uniformed Services or a member of the Merchant Marine who is absent from the place of
residence where he or she is otherwise qualified to vote, and their accompanying dependents.
E2.1.1.2. An "overseas voter," defined as:
E2.1.1.2.1. An absent Uniformed Services voter who, by reason of active duty or
service, is absent from the United States on the date of the election;
E2.1.1.2.2. A person who resides outside the United States and is qualified to vote in
the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States; or
E2.1.1.2.3. A person who resides outside the United States and (but for such
residence) would be qualified to vote in the last place in which the person was domiciled before
leaving the United States.
E2.1.2. Federal Office. The offices of President and Vice President; Presidential Elector;
Member of the U.S. Senate or of the U.S. House of Representatives; Resident Commissioner
from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to the Congress; or Delegate from American Samoa, the
District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands to the Congress.
E2.1.3. Installation Voting Assistance Officer. An individual responsible for the FVAP at
the installation level.
E2.1.4. Local Election. An election for candidates for a Local government, such as
municipal, county, township or village elections, or referenda of local interest.
E2.1.5. Official Survey. A survey of citizens covered by reference (c), as required for the
report to the President and the Congress.
E2.1.6. Poll. Any request for information regarding the content of an individual's vote.
E2.1.7. Senior Service Voting Representative. A uniformed member at the O-7 grade, or
higher, responsible for implementing the FVAP in his or her respective Uniformed Service.
E2.1.8. Service Voting Action Officer. An individual at a Uniformed Service Headquarters
level responsible for voting assistance operations for his or her respective Service.

10

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDD 1000.04, April 14, 2004
E2.1.9. State Election. Any election held solely, or in part, for selecting, nominating, or
electing any candidate for any State office, such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney
General, or State Legislator, or on issues of State-wide interest.
E2.1.10. Uniformed Services. The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, the
Coast Guard, and their Reserve components, as well as the Commissioned Corps of the PHS and
the NOAA.
E2.1.11. Unit Voting Assistance Officer. An individual at the unit level of a Uniformed Service
responsible for voting assistance.
E2.1.12. Voting Residence. The legal residence in which the voter is registered to vote.

11

ENCLOSURE 2