The announcement comes after the Department of Defense scrapped an Internet-voting system planned by the Pentagon for the November election. Seven states, including Utah, were expected to take part in the new system before several computer-science experts said hackers could easily tamper with election results.

Utah's Weber County had been a pilot project in the 2000 election for the Internet system, and this year four other counties in the state had been slated to participate before the Internet system was dropped.

Currently, military personnel and citizens overseas used standard mail to request a Federal Postcard Application form and to cast their ballots.

The new administrative rule on electronic voting was implemented so that all U.S. citizens, "especially those serving our country, are guaranteed the right to vote," McKeachnie said Monday. "With so many of our citizens on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, we felt it was important to ensure that these citizens have full access to the election process."

To be eligible to transmit election materials electronically, overseas citizens must complete a Federal Post Card Application, which serves as both a voter registration form and absentee ballot application, said Amy Naccarato, Utah election director.

The application is available at http://www.elections.utah.gov.

Most absentee overseas voters will be using the mails. So far, more than 2,500 applications forms have been received by county election officials along the Wasatch Front. Naccarato said that's a substantial increase from the 2000 election.

Overseas citizens with access to a reliable mail system should send in their absentee ballot by Oct. 15 to ensure that election officials receive their ballots in time.

A spokesman for the Pentagon said about 6 million U.S. voters live overseas, many of them members of the military or their relatives.