At the May 8 Juneau Assembly meeting, an ordinance was introduced to make mail-in elections the default practice for all City and Borough elections going forward.
Drafted by borough staff at the request of the Assembly, the ordinance acknowledges that it is a “paradigm shift in the default method by which we conduct elections.” As such, it requires a comprehensive overhaul of the election code to scrap in-person polling stations and streamline mail-in elections into the main body of election law.
The city manager recommended that the Assembly introduce the ordinance and schedule it for public hearing at the Special Assembly meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 immediately preceding the Assembly Finance Committee meeting.
Citing concerns about Covid, Juneau first moved to mail-in voting in May of 2020, a decision that drew some criticism because of the known fraudulent abuses associated with widespread mail-in voting.
Public Interest Legal Foundation, which has tracked mail-in voting problems for years, states that it is the “worst way to run an election.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“Election officials do not know what happened to nearly 15 million mail ballots in 2020,” PILF’s website notes. “Another 560,000 voters had their mail ballot rejected by election officials.”
In order to hold secure mail-in elections, PILF explained that governments need “highly accurate” voter rolls, something which Alaska has failed to attain for decades.
“Otherwise, ballots end up at the wrong addresses and some people are even sent multiple ballots under slightly different versions of their name,” PILF warns. “Voting in person is the most secure way to run an election and gives voters an opportunity to correct errors on their ballots.”
If local governments do adopt mail-in voting, PILF recommends that voters be required to individually request ballots before they are mailed out. Automatically mailing ballots to every registered voter – which is what Juneau plans to do – is “not a secure way to run an election,” PILF adds.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to read the proposed Juneau ordinance.
— Click here to contact members of the Juneau Assembly.
— Click here for information on how to participate in the May 17 Special Assembly meeting.
11 Comments
In the mail in elections I’ve been force to use I’ve gotten 3 to 7 ballots each time. I’ve ask about it and my information stays up to date. I was told just fill them our and vote. I’m smart enough to know that is illegal. One vote per person is the law. I hate mail in because first you never hear when or how got elected. Second you don’t get to have a big party to celebrate the winner. Third it’s so easy to scam the election its not funny. It is a great way to just put whoever into the opening you want. So I see it as a corrupt and ineffective way of voting. I say you have 13 hours to vote on election day – use them wisely. I think that I’ve heard employers have to give you two hours off to go vote. If your working a 12-hour shift take an hour off early with pay that day. I am for the hanging Chad voting system. It’s obvious who you were punching your vote for. One vote per person and no stuffing the ballot box. This should be a federal law for all states to abide by. Now if your sick or on vacation you can vote absentee. That don’t mean if you’re fat and lazy you can lay on the couch eating bon bons and vote. Get out there and vote.
Agree
Paper ballots, One vote in person at your local polling place with an ID
And for US Citizens only.
Juneau is heavy Democrat, need I say more.
Commodus must have been resurrected.
Capitol needs to be moved and let Juneau survive on its tourism and fishing! The Capitol is the People’s house, but not here. Alaska’s capitol is the commie house.
Mail-in voting is all about cheating
Look again and see how dunleavy is helping us on multiple fronts! His pick for Lt governor who oversees elections looks to be as incompetent as the last one! We are being duped and are stupidly slow to get it!
Get over it! Mail-in voting works. See Anchorage, see the state of Oregon. Mail-in voting is cheap and secure. Lets just stop the whining.
Hahaha, you must think that you are so funny. Oh my goodness. Mail-in voting is for exceptions only and not meant to be for regular voters. It is not cheaper. Same day voting, walk-in, and hand-counted is the only way to go. Anchorage is a demorat-infested city now. Oregon has only a few demorat-infested cities, but it has many conservatives who vote for humanity-loving reps. Please stop with the lies.
It is more expensive then precinct polls in ANC. not cheaper …. nice propaganda talk though Mitch.
8% of voters in Juno had their votes tossed in the all mail in 2022 election that Juno held (ADN)
So it’s okay for 8 of 100 voters to be denied the right to vote in our Capitol city?…. Because liberals prefer it?
1 Ballot for every 8 was tossed out that same year in rural AK or a 12.5% rejection rate (Ak Public Media)
What happened to 1 person … 1 vote Mitch? Thing of the past?
I am a poll worker, we help people vote correctly, simple for most, but not everyone.
I did: “See Anchorage” …. the reality is it costs more (ADN) & disenfranchises a lot of citizens who WANT to vote (ADN & AK Pub Media)