52 USC § 20301a - Duties of Secretary under Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t52/s20301a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "52 USC § 20301a - Duties of Secretary under Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act"
title_number: 52
title_name: "VOTING AND ELECTIONS"
section_number: "20301a"
section_name: "Duties of Secretary under Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act"
chapter_number: 203
chapter_name: "REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND OVERSEAS VOTERS IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title X, § 1086, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3877.)"
---


# § 20301a. Duties of Secretary under Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

**(a)** **Ensuring ability of absent uniformed services voters serving at diplomatic and consular posts to receive and transmit balloting materials** 52 U.S.C. 20301

In carrying out the Secretary’s duties as the Presidential designee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ( et seq.), the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary, feasible, and practical to ensure that a uniformed services voter under such Act who is absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service at a diplomatic and consular post of the United States is able to receive and transmit balloting materials in the same manner and with the same rights and protections as a uniformed services voter under such Act who is absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service at a military installation.

**(b)** **Effective date** January 1, 2021

This section shall apply with respect to elections held on or after .

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title X, § 1086, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3877.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is , , , which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and not as part of title I of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act which comprises this chapter.