The Soldier Vote : War, Politics, and the Ballot in America

The Soldier Vote tells the story of how Americans in the armed forces gained the right to vote while away from home. The ability for deployed military personnel to cast a ballot was difficult and often vociferously resisted by politicians of both political parties. While progress has been made, significant challenges remain. Using newly obtained data about the military voter, The Soldier Vote challenges some widely held views about the nature of the military vote and how service personnel vote. "The Soldier Vote tells the story of how American citizens in the armed forces gained the right to vote while away from home. Beginning with the American Revolution, through the Civil War, and World War II, the ability for deployed military personnel to cast a ballot in elections was difficult and often vociferously resisted by politicians of both political parties. Finally, during the Cold War, Congress managed to pass the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. That Act, along with further improvements in the early twenty-first century, began to make it easier for military personnel and American citizens living abroad to participate in elections at home. Using newly obtained data about the military voter, The Soldier Vote challenges some widely held views about the nature of the military vote and how service personnel vote"-- "The Soldier Vote tells the story of how American citizens in the armed forces gained the right to vote while away from home"-- Front Matter....Pages i-xvi War, Politics, and the Soldier Vote: Some History....Pages 1-12 Civil War Partisanship: 1861–1862....Pages 13-28 Reelecting Mr. Lincoln: 1863–1865....Pages 29-44 The Forgotten Soldier....Pages 45-54 World War II: Race and Politics....Pages 55-71 Federalizing the Vote: UOCAVA....Pages 73-87 Barriers and Disenfranchisement: The MOVE Act....Pages 89-99 American Civil-Military Relations....Pages 101-115 American Military Demographics....Pages 117-133 American Military Political Behavior....Pages 135-154 Conclusion: So What and Who Cares?....Pages 155-162 Back Matter....Pages 163-270