May04

electoral-vote.com

Dem 47

   

GOP 53

Alaska's Governor Vetoes Election Reform Bill

The Alaska legislature passed a major election reform bill last week. Among other provisions, it:

• allows voters to track their absentee ballot to be sure it was received and counted.
• allow voters to correct minor errors that would otherwise result in the ballot being rejected.
• provides postage-paid envelopes for absentee voters.
• permits ballots received up to 10 days after Election Day to be counted.
• orders the state to develop a cybersecurity program.
• makes tribal ID cards valid for identification to vote.
• makes it easier to remove inactive voters from the rolls.
• requires the state to release choices in ranked-choice elections at the precinct level.
• makes it possible to vote for write-in candidates for president.
• creates a rural community liason position in the state election office.
• creates a new crime of election tampering.

Last Thursday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) vetoed the bill. He said it was too close to the election to make all the changes on time.

Chairman of the Alaska Senate Rules Committee Bill Wielechowski (D) opposed the veto and wrote in a response: "Governor Dunleavy has said, by his veto, that Alaska's elections are secure enough. Unfortunately, they are not, and even his supporters confirm that. Our voter rolls stood at 114% of the voting-age population in 2022. Ballots are being rejected over technical errors. Tampering with a voting machine is not explicitly a crime under current law. This bill addressed every one of those concerns." The vote in the legislature was close enough that an override is possible. (V)