---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 593"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "593"
heading: "Interference by armed forces"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/593"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 29 — Elections and Political Activities"
---

# §593. Interference by armed forces


[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), being an [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member of the Armed Forces of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), prescribes or fixes or attempts to prescribe or fix, whether by proclamation, order or otherwise, the qualifications of voters at any election in any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9); or

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), being such [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member, prevents or attempts to prevent by force, threat, intimidation, advice or otherwise any qualified voter of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) from fully exercising the right of suffrage at any general or special election; or

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), being such [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member, orders or compels or attempts to compel any election [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) in any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) to receive a vote from a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) not legally qualified to vote; or

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), being such [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member, imposes or attempts to impose any regulations for conducting any general or special election in a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9), different from those prescribed by law; or

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), being such [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member, interferes in any manner with an election [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c)’s discharge of his duties—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; and disqualified from holding any office of honor, profit or trust under the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).

This section shall not prevent any [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or member of the Armed Forces from exercising the right of suffrage in any district to which he may belong, if otherwise qualified according to the laws of the [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) of such district.


## Source credit

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 719; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 56–59 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §§ 23–26, 35 Stat. 1092, 1093).

Four sections were consolidated with only such changes of phraseology as were necessary to effect the consolidation.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in sixth par.