CONCORD, N.H. -- A study says 16 states -- including Maine and three others in New England -- don't give soldiers deployed overseas enough time to vote.

The Pew Center on the States says faulty absentee voting systems could be improved by allowing more lead time or sending election materials electronically.

In New England, the study gave failing grades to Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It says Vermont's system is borderline, and Rhode Island's raises privacy and security concerns.

For each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, researchers calculated the amount of time it takes overseas military voters and election officials to complete each step of the absentee voting process.

The researchers then determined if all of the steps could be completed in time for each state's election deadlines and assessed whether overseas military voters have enough time to vote.

The analysis found that the following options can bring about improvements:

• Expanding the use of the federal write-in absentee ballot, a backup measure for military voters who don't receive their state ballots in time.
  
• Allowing election materials to be transmitted electronically.
  
• Ensuring a minimum of 45 days to allow ballots to travel between voters and election offices.
  

To learn more, visit www.pewcenteronthestates.org