FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Several rural Alaska communities experienced problems with in-person absentee voting locations during the first week of early voting, prompting concerns about access to the ballot ahead of the November 3 general election.
Early and in-person absentee voting began across Alaska on October 19. However, according to an October 27 investigation by Alaska Public Media, some voting locations did not open as scheduled, leaving residents uncertain about when they could cast their ballots.
Democratic state Sen. Bill Wielechowski raised concerns in a letter to the Alaska Division of Elections and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, reporting problems at voting locations in 18 communities.
State election officials disputed that figure. In a response, Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher said three locations had declined to open and another three had not responded to state officials. The division maintained that 12 of the 18 locations identified by Wielechowski were operating.
Alaska Public Media also contacted officials in several rural communities. Some confirmed that voting was available, although hours were not always consistent with information posted by the state.
In Huslia and Toksook Bay, local officials reported that voting was available by appointment. An official in Gambell said voting began later than originally scheduled.
The Division of Elections’ website has also listed temporary closures at several locations, including Goodnews Bay and Kongiganak. Its October 28 updates listed voting hours for Ekwok and Scammon Bay, illustrating how location information has continued to change.
The Alaska Federation of Natives raised concerns about communication with rural voters. Kendra Kloster, the organization’s director of government relations, told Alaska Public Media that communities may need flexible voting schedules, but those arrangements should be communicated clearly.
The concerns follow problems during Alaska’s August primary election, when approximately 75 absentee in-person ballots from Western Alaska arrived too late to be counted because of mail delays. The Division of Elections subsequently announced changes to how some rural ballots would be routed for processing.
In its response to Wielechowski, the Division of Elections said it had mailed ballots to absentee voting officials in 109 Western Alaska communities and remained committed to providing voting access. Officials also said they would investigate concerns about errors in ballot processing.
With the general election scheduled for November 3, rural voters are encouraged to check the state’s updated voting-location information before traveling to vote.
Voting information: Alaska Division of Elections — Early and Absentee In-Person Voting Locations
Sources: Alaska Public Media and the Alaska Division of Elections.
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