FEDERAL · 18 U.S.C. · Chapter 29

Use of military authority to influence vote of member of Armed Forces

18 U.S.C. § 609
Title18Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter29 — ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

This text of 18 U.S.C. § 609 (Use of military authority to influence vote of member of Armed Forces) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
18 U.S.C. § 609.

Text

Whoever, being a commissioned, noncommissioned, warrant, or petty officer of an Armed Force, uses military authority to influence the vote of a member of the Armed Forces or to require a member of the Armed Forces to march to a polling place, or attempts to do so, shall be fined in accordance with this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Nothing in this section shall prohibit free discussion of political issues or candidates for public office.

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Related

Common Cause v. Democratic National Committee
333 F. Supp. 803 (District of Columbia, 1971)
13 case citations
Rigdon v. Perry
962 F. Supp. 150 (District of Columbia, 1997)
8 case citations

Source Credit

History

(Added Pub. L. 99–410, title II, §202(a), Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 929.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions
A prior section 609, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 723, prescribed maximum contributions and expenditures limitation of $3,000,000 for any calendar year, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 92–225, title II, §204, Feb. 7, 1972, 86 Stat. 10, effective sixty days after Feb. 7, 1972.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date
Section applicable with respect to elections taking place after Dec. 31, 1987, see section 204 of Pub. L. 99–410, set out as a note under section 20301 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.

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Bluebook (online)
18 U.S.C. § 609, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/usc/18/609.