---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 596"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "596"
heading: "Polling armed forces"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/596"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 29 — Elections and Political Activities"
---

# §596. Polling armed forces


[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), within or without the Armed Forces of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), polls any member of such forces, either within or without the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), either before or after he executes any ballot under any Federal or [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) law, with reference to his choice of or his vote for any candidate, or [states](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9), publishes, or releases any result of any purported poll taken from or among the [members](/usc/18/1093.md?p=4) of the Armed Forces of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) 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](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), 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](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) making the request, or for the purpose of reporting the same to any other [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5), [persons](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5), political party, unincorporated association or corporation, or for the purpose of publishing the same orally, by radio, or in written or printed form.


## Source credit

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### 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, § 314, as added Apr. 1, 1944, ch. 150, 58 Stat. 146).

Changes in phraseology were made.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in first par.