Michigan Seeks Extra Day for Military Ballots as Election Integrity Concerns Mount Over UOCAVA Loopholes

Oct 5, 2024, 01:35 PM

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has requested Attorney General Nessel for an extra day to count military and overseas ballots, according to reports. Concerns have arisen over the potential for individuals to exploit the UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) program, which allows citizens living overseas to register to vote online without providing identification, Social Security Number, or proof of citizenship or address. Some claim that federal law prohibits states from verifying the identity or citizenship of these overseas voters, potentially enabling anyone to register in any state and cast votes without proper verification, which could impact election integrity, including in battleground states. Federal law requires that overseas ballots cast without ID or citizenship verification be counted up to five days after the election, which in battleground states could influence election outcomes. There are concerns about the potential impact of these loopholes on statewide elections, including those in 2020.