§ 596. — Polling armed forces.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC596]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 29--ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Sec. 596. Polling armed forces
Whoever, within or without the Armed Forces of the United States,
polls any member of such forces, either within or without the United
States, either before or after he executes any ballot under any Federal
or State law, with reference to his choice of or his vote for any
candidate, or states, publishes, or releases any result of any purported
poll taken from or among the members of the Armed Forces of the United
States or including within it the statement of choice for such candidate
or of such votes cast by any member of the Armed Forces of the United
States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than
one year, or both.
The word ``poll'' means any request for information, verbal or
written, which by its language or form of expression requires or implies
the necessity of an answer, where the request is made with the intent of
compiling the result of the answers obtained, either for the personal
use of the person making the request, or for the purpose of reporting
the same to any other person, persons, political party, unincorporated
association or corporation, or for the purpose of publishing the same
orally, by radio, or in written or printed form.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII,
Sec. 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on section 344 of title 50, U.S.C., 1940 ed., War and National
Defense (Sept. 16, 1942, ch. 561, title III, Sec. 314, as added Apr. 1,
1944, ch. 150, 58 Stat. 146).
Changes in phraseology were made.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $1,000'' in first par.
