States are sending absentee ballots to military voters

Claim: Pentagon ‘failed’ to send absentee ballots to active military personnel

Facebook post November 3rd (direct link, link to archive) claims that military personnel were ignored in the voting process in the 2024 presidential election.

“URGENT: The Pentagon reportedly did not send absentee ballots to active military personnel ahead of the election,” reads text on the image, which is a screenshot of a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Facebook post was shared more than 70 times in three days. X version was reposted more than 2000 times.

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Our rating: False

States, not the Pentagon, are responsible for sending absentee ballots to military personnel. A group of Republican lawmakers said they have received reports that at least one military base has run out of reserve federal ballots that can be used if state-issued ballots don’t arrive on time. However, a service member can access a reserve ballot online and cast it in their own name.

A “reserve ballot” is available if states do not submit on time

The claim is false, according to a Defense Department official who declined to give his name to USA TODAY.

States are responsible for sending absentee ballots to military personnel as specified in Federal Voting Assistance Program website.

It states that military personnel must obey Application for a federal postal card to the appropriate election office, and that it “guarantees that your state will send you a ballot at least 45 days before the election.”

Former Marine Captain Janessa Goldbeck also spoke publication of military news Mission and purpose that the Department of Defense “does not directly distribute absentee ballots to military personnel stationed overseas or outside their home state.” Goldbeck is the CEO of the Vet Voice Foundation, a nonpartisan organization that works to increase veterans’ civic engagement.

Military members can also use a “reserve ballot” for federal absentee voting if they “applied on time but did not receive a regular absentee ballot from their state or territory.” according to the Ministry of Justice.

Fact checking: South Carolina allows disabled, elderly voters vote on the sidelines

Several GOP lawmakers wrote a letter in the days before the election accusing the Pentagon of not devoting enough resources to helping service members vote, citing reports from their constituents in the military. as reported by Fox News.

The letter said that at least one military base’s stock of reserve ballots had dwindled and had not been replenished. But service members don’t have to rely on the Department of Defense to get a reserve ballot. They can access it onlineprint it out and submit it on your behalf.

Department of Defense Spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press conference on November 4 that the department has a “robust education program” to ensure military personnel have access to absentee ballots and participate in elections regardless of their location.

There are no credible news reports about widespread problems with the issuance of absentee ballots to military personnel.

USA TODAY has debunked a number of claims regarding ballots, including false claims that dot over the name of Vice President Kamala Harris Kentucky ballot invalidates votes for other candidates, former President Donald Trump’s name being on the second page ballots in California is evidence of election fraud and that votes were cast ballots marked by polling station workers are disqualified.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

PolitiFact, Reuters And Check your fact also denied this claim.

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