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Hegseth announces all US troops will get 1 day off to vote in October

The directive gives troops time to register or submit ballots and lets commanders help spouses and dependents with voting steps.

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered commanders to designate a one-day military stand-down by Oct. 15, giving service members time to register, request absentee ballots, and vote in the midterm elections.
  • Voting for military personnel has been "time-consuming and complex," Hegseth said, as service members face unnecessary difficulties obtaining and returning absentee ballots while serving far from home.
  • A March Rasmussen poll found 57 percent of likely military voters would support the Republican candidate in congressional elections, while Hegseth has campaigned for Republican candidates in Kentucky and Iowa.
  • The directive establishes the voting stand-down practice for every even-numbered year, following a 2021 stand-down ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to address extremism in the Capitol attack aftermath.
  • Hegseth emphasized the non-partisan nature of the order, stating, "Now, we're not telling you who to vote for, but we will give you every opportunity to do so," leaving choice to service members.
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Federal News Network broke the news in Chevy Chase, United States on Friday, October 2, 2026.
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