Arizona is stepping up its efforts to support a vital constituency: military and overseas voters. The state has unveiled a new voting system designed to secure, simplify, and preserve the anonymity of ballots cast under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). Via a pilot program in Congressional District 7's Special General Election, the collaboration with Enhanced Voting signals a stride towards simplifying the voting process for those abroad.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes emphasized the advantages, "This new system is a leap forward in ensuring that every eligible voter, no matter where they are in the world, can easily cast a ballot that is both secure and truly anonymous," according to a recent statement by the Arizona Secretary of State. As per secretary Fontes, the system is extensively tested and ready to reliably safeguard the voting process.
The problem of ballot anonymity has long plagued UOCAVA voters, who historically had to give up their right to a secret ballot. The Enhanced Ballot system developed by Enhanced Voting is poised to seriously change that, giving these voters the same privacy guarantees as their state-side counterparts. "Enhanced Ballot changes that. When used as designed, it guarantees ballot anonymity, placing UOCAVA voters on equal footing with state-side voters,” Fontes told Arizona Secretary of State.
The system offers a seamless experience, from ballot completion to submission, via personal devices — eliminating the need to access a printer or scanner. However, those wishing to stick to printing and mailing their votes still retain that option. This level of flexibility demonstrates a conscientious approach to cater to various voter circumstances, and with layers of cybersecurity, the integrity of each preference is ensured.
Funding for the improved systems comes from a $2 million grant from the Department of Defense's Federal Voting Assistance Program, awarded in 2023. Enhanced Voting has been entrusted with the technology based on their Rabet-V certification from the Center for Internet Security and SOC 2 Type II certification, indicative of their cybersecurity reputation as noted by the Secretary of State's Office.
Additionally, the numbers are telling: There is ample room for improvement to engage the 1.3 million active-duty military members eligible to cast their votes under UOCAVA. With just over 60% of them registered and a mere 26% casting votes in the last report prior to these changes, the new system might just be the catalyst needed for improved participation.
To learn more about the nuances of the new UOCAVA voting process, voters are encouraged to check out the UOCAVA Voting Frequently Asked Questions section on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website, which provides ample detail on how the system works and how to navigate the voting process while overseas.
