Research

Administrative History

The War Ballot Commission was created by Chapter 183 of the Laws of 1944 to facilitate voting by members of the U.S. Armed Forces in the 1944 general elections. The law continued a state war ballot commission to cooperate with federal agencies to create, distribute, and collect war ballots for federal, state, and local elections to guarantee the right to vote of members of the armed forces during wartime. The commission was authorized to prescribe the form and subsidize printing of ballots and envelopes to be used at the election. War ballots were to be received by the commission not later than noon on November 3, and forwarded to respective boards of elections and canvassed on Election Day, November 7, 1944.

The commission received and acknowledged requests for a war ballot, and forwarded the voter's name for placement on the register of war voters of her/his home county. A ballot was mailed commencing September 7, 1944 to those whose names appeared on the War Register. After marking the ballot, the voter folded it into an envelope with a voter oath on the verso (affirming age, citizenship, and residency requirements). The oath was signed by the voter and endorsed by an official or officer. This signed and sealed envelope was then enclosed in an official election war ballot envelope and mailed (postage free) to the commission or the county board of elections. Voters were to notify the commission promptly of any change in military address, stating their home address as well.

The commission's four members, two Republicans and two Democrats (members of the legislature were not eligible), included William T. Simpson (chair), Neil M. Lieblich, George M. Clancy, and William T. Larkin. Terms expired on April 1, 1945.