Interference by armed forces
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, being an officer or member of the Armed Forces of the United States, prescribes or fixes or to prescribe or fix, whether by proclamation, order or otherwise, the qualifications of voters at any election in any State; or
Whoever, being such officer or member, prevents or to prevent by force, threat, intimidation, advice or otherwise any qualified voter of any State from fully exercising the right of suffrage at any general or special election; or
Whoever, being such officer or member, orders or compels or to compel any election officer in any State to receive a vote from a person not legally qualified to vote; or
Whoever, being such officer or member, imposes or to impose any regulations for conducting any general or special election in a State, different from those prescribed by law; or
Whoever, being such officer or member, interferes in any manner with an election officer's discharge of his duties—
Shall be or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; and disqualified from holding any office of honor, profit or trust under the United States.
This section shall not prevent any officer or member of the Armed Forces from exercising the right of suffrage in any district to which he may belong, if otherwise qualified according to the laws of the State of such district.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 719 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a member of the armed forces to interfere with elections, such as by setting voter qualifications, stopping qualified voters from voting by force or threats, forcing officials to accept illegal votes, or making their own election rules.