New York State made a provision so that men in the military or naval service could vote in the 1864 Lincoln vs McClellan presidential election. These three pieces are related. First is 8 x 9.75” four sided sheet of “Navy Department/ Washington” stationery with two horizontal folds and with text only on the front sheet. Welles, who served as Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson from 1861-1869, has filled in the date of “Oct. 15 and added a “4” to complete the printed numerals “186_.” His hand written letter is signed with his name and title and reads: “Col. J. B. Swayne, the bearer here of has permission to take passage in any steamer of the U.S. Navy to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron for the purpose of collecting the votes of absent electors belonging to the State of New York authorized to vote under the laws thereof / Gideon Welles/ Secretary of Navy.” Sheet has 1/8” dark dot on front and 3/8” dark spot on blank back with other minor age traces. Next is a 4.5 x 9.5 sealed envelope with both printed text and inked specific details. Envelope was opened on right edge but is over 95% intact. The envelope comes with its original 8 x 12” sheet with two short, narrow pieces off the right edge. This is titled at top “SOLDIER’S POWER OF ATTORNEY.” The two pieces repeat much of the same information and are both dated just six days (Oct. 21, 1864) after the Welles letter which references this process of “collecting votes.” The text at top of the sheet refers to the NY act passed April 21, 1864 “to enable the qualified electors of this State, absent therefrom in the Military Services of the United States, in the Army or Navy thereof to vote…” Document names George Snyder, a member of Company B of the One Hundred Sixteenth Infantry New York Volunteers then located at Cedar Creek, Virginia. His known history as a soldier (info sheet comes with items) states he enlisted 8/3/1862 at Lancaster, Erie Country and mustered out 6/8/1865 at Washington, D.C. Text states and he attests he is qualified to vote, that he has made no wager or bet on the election’s outcome and he names Daniel Snyder “to cast for me and in my name and stead… my vote or ballot , the same as if I was personally present at the General election to be held on the 8th day of November 1864.” How he voted was between him and his appointed representative. The sheet has signature of witness “David O. Reed” and both sheet and envelope are also signed by an Adjutant but the name and full office title are hard to decipher. With the 3 items is also included a print out the Regiment’s Civil War history. A fascinating and unique trio of documents illuminating the provisions made so that soldiers and sailors could vote in the presidential election ultimately won by Lincoln on November 8, 1864. Welles letter comes with Hake’s COA and JSA LOA.