Objective:
The objective of this project was to report on the effectiveness and level of compliance of DoD Voting Assistance Programs (VAP) based on their respective Service Inspector General (IG) annual reviews, and to review the National Guard Bureau’s VAP.
Finding:
The National Guard Bureau did not have a written VAP and a current-year voting assistance plan as required by applicable regulations. As a result, the National Guard Bureau will have difficulty accomplishing its responsibilities under DoD Instruction 1000.04, "Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)," September 13, 2012, specifically to ensure effective coordination with the Adjutants General of the states to provide required voting assistance to activated National Guard Bureau personnel. The failure of the National Guard Bureau to have written voting assistance guidance, as required by both DoD and Service policy, results in an unclear chain-of-command authority and responsibility in regard to Army National Guard and Air National Guard VAP issues.
Recommendation:
We recommend that the Chief, National Guard Bureau, develop and issue voting assistance policy that includes a contingency voting assistance program and a current-year voting assistance plan that complies with DoD Instruction 1000.04, "Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)," September 13, 2012, and Army Regulation 608-20, "Army Voting Assistance Program," April 22, 2014.
This report is a result of Project No. D2017-D00SPO-0003.000.