Voting Rights of the Military

Original question:

Thank you very much and I am waiting for any news from you.

Links to relevant resources:

• ACE Encyclopaedia: Special Considerations for Counting Votes Cast Outside the Country
• ACE Encyclopaedia: Resident versus Non-resident Voters
• Voting by Special Ballot for Canadian Forces Electors
• Elections Canada's webiste: Voting by Canadian Forces electors
• Application form to register as a Service Voter in the UK

• Voting rights for the Military: Excerpts from the legal framework of various countries

ACE Network Facilitator's response:

A good starting point for your research might be the PARLINE database of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, where you can find country specific information about parliaments around the world including information about suffrage.

In most of the other democratic countries, the constitution guarantees every eligible citizen’s right to vote and hence, there are no limitations regarding the voting rights of the military personnel or other civil servants (again, please refer to PARLINE as a good source to verify and get more in-depth information about the provisions in the different countries).

In Canada, for example, during federal elections and referendums, Canadian Forces electors can vote, by mail or at polling stations set up in their units, using a special ballot. This method of voting is governed by the Special Voting Rules, Part 11, Division 2 of the Electoral Act.

These electors may also vote at civilian polling stations in the ridings where they are registered, provided they are residing there at the time of an electoral event.

After a member of the Canadian Forces has completed a Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR), he or she will receive a special ballot voting kit after an election is called. Once this voter has voted, it is his or her responsibility to ensure that his or her ballot arrives in Ottawa by 6:00 p.m., Ottawa time, on polling day. Military personnel have the option to mail the ballot by themselves, or, in most cases, the option of leaving it with the deputy returning officer on the military base to forward by special arrangement.  For more information, see the backgrounder Voting by Special Ballot available at Elections Canada's webiste.

In the case of the United Kingdom, members of the armed forces may register to vote at their home address just as a normal civilian elector or as a Service Voter. Service Voters are entitled to vote in Local, Parliamentary and European Parliamentary Elections in the UK.

Service voters serving in the armed forces overseas need to complete a service declaration each year they are abroad,  by submitting an application form to register as a service voter, which can be obtained at Elections Office or through the relevant military unit. Service voters must register at an address where they lived in the past or where they would live if they were not posted overseas.

Service Voters may either appoint a person to vote on their behalf at the polling station (a proxy), or vote themselves by post. If a postal vote is chosen, the applicant should bear in mind the length of time taken for post to travel in either direction, because the ballot paper is only issued one to two weeks before Polling Day.

Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are probably the two most well known cases of military personnel not being allowed to vote, but there are also several other countries having restrictions regarding military personnel’s voting rights.

A very interesting perspective on this very issue (in the context of DRC) is expressed by our network member Michael Meadowcroft on his paper "Why the Military and the Police should register and vote", written in 2004.

The table below illustrates country cases where voting rights are granted and not grated for military personnel:

Note: This list has been compiled two years ago and there might have been some changes. 

Also when there are no explicit regulations, it can be very difficult for military personnel to practise their right to vote; for instance when there are no provisions for external voting or voting in advance, as the forces might be either abroad on Election Day or working in the country to assure the election security.

Another aspect to consider, similar to the issue of voting rights, is the possibility for military personnel to run as candidates in elections – something which is also restricted in some countries – but perhaps that is beyond the scope of your research.

The opinions expressed by the ACE Network Facilitator do not necessarily reflect those of the ACE Partner organizations.

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