Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a one-day military stand-down by Oct. 15 to give service members time to register and vote in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and said the pause will recur in federal election years. The move addresses under-registration: FVAP data show more than 418,000 active-duty personnel (about 23%) were not registered in 2024. Troops can use the time to mail absentee ballots or vote in person, and the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is available as a backup. Hegseth stressed the directive is apolitical.
Hegseth Orders One-Day Military Stand-Down To Expand Voting Access Ahead Of Midterms
War Secretary Pete Hegseth (Getty Images)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the armed forces to observe a one-day stand-down by Oct. 15 so service members have time to register and vote in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Hegseth said the pause will become a routine measure in federal election years to expand access to voting for personnel serving away from home.
"We're not telling you who to vote for, but we will give you every opportunity to do so," Hegseth said in a video released Friday. "You are the best citizens of our country, and therefore you should have every opportunity to exercise your right to vote."
Why the Stand-Down?
The directive responds to persistent under-registration among active-duty members. Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) data show more than 418,000 service members — about 23% of active-duty personnel — were not registered to vote in 2024. Hegseth has circulated two videos and a memo in recent days urging troops to register and cast ballots in the midterms, as control of narrow congressional majorities is at stake.
How It Will Work
Under the new policy, units will conduct a one-day voting stand-down in October of each federal election year. During the stand-down, service members may use the time to mail absentee ballots or, where feasible, vote in person. Nearly three-quarters of active-duty personnel are eligible for absentee voting because they live more than 50 miles from their registered voting address, according to federal figures.
If a state absentee ballot does not arrive in time, eligible military and overseas voters can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a federally authorized backup option. "All of these processes are straightforward and protected by law," Hegseth said, stressing legal safeguards for absentee and overseas voting.
Context And Contrast
The Pentagon regularly uses stand-downs to pause routine operations and focus attention on force-wide issues such as safety, accident prevention, and suicide prevention. Hegseth contrasted his voting-focused stand-down with a 2021 Defense Department stand-down ordered by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to address extremism in the ranks after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Austin’s directive was intended to reinforce the military oath, outline prohibited extremist activity, and help commanders assess the extent of extremism within the force.
Hegseth emphasized that the voting directive does not endorse any candidate or political party and is intended to broaden opportunities for civic participation among service members.
Where To Get Help: Service members can find voter-registration forms, absentee-ballot instructions, and state deadlines through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
Source: Newsmax (© 2026). All rights reserved.
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