H.R. 4851 — PROVE Act

This section requires states, before transmitting absentee ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), and the Presidential designee, before transmitting federal write-in absentee ballots, to obtain from nonmilitary overseas voters (i.e., U.S. citizens abroad who are not absent uniformed services members) a verifiable mailing address within the voter's desired state of either (1) the voter's current residence or (2) the current residence of the voter's spouse, parent, or legal guardian. Nonmilitary overseas voters who fail to provide such an address for a regularly scheduled general election for federal office in that state may instead vote in the District of Columbia's federal election held on the same date and are deemed DC residents for that purpose. The requirement does not apply to absent uniformed services voters and takes effect for elections held in 2026 or any succeeding year.