Sailors aboard the USS George Washington took part in a shipboard voting event during the carrier’s Middle East deployment, showing how U.S. military personnel stationed away from home can participate ahead of Tuesday’s midterm election.
The Department of War said the event was held in the carrier’s library on Oct. 12. Its Nov. 2 account placed the ship in the U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations in the Middle East. The department said the deployment contributes to regional maritime security and stability, and described the gathering as preparation for the 2026 midterms.
Navy Chaplain (Lt.) Steven Matkins organized the event in his role as U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s voting assistance officer. The department identified Navy Seaman Gavin Naab, an information systems technician serving aboard the carrier, as a first-time voter. Navy Capt. Nicholas DeLeo, the ship’s commanding officer, called the chance to vote while deployed “profound” and said sailors had sworn to defend the rights they exercised.
The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) says service members can vote absentee if assignments take them away from their voting residence. States set requirements for registration, ballot requests and returns. The program says members can also receive voting assistance through their service. FVAP puts the eligible share at 71% among 1.3 million active-duty service members, citing assignments that place personnel away from their voting residence.
FVAP’s 2024 findings show that 15% of active-duty respondents said their ballot arrived too late or did not arrive. The program traces protections for service members to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which has covered active-duty personnel assigned away from their voting residence since 1986. FVAP lists Nov. 3 as the general election date.
