Senate Bill 64 is stirring significant controversy in Alaska as it proposes enabling legislation for future statewide mail-in voting.
This legislation has already been adopted by the Anchorage municipal Democrats and raises concerns about the potential end of in-person voting on Election Day.
Under this bill, ballots would be mailed to every registered voter at their current residence.
Critics argue that mail-in voting has been linked to significant voter fraud in other states, with the video “2000 Mules” documenting thousands of harvested mail-in ballots being dropped into boxes during the 2020 General Election.
One of the major changes brought by this legislation is the establishment of permanent absentee-by-mail ballot distribution, which would send ballots to voters’ old temporary addresses.
Past experiences in Alaska suggest that less than 20% of these ballots are returned, often by someone who may not be the actual voter, creating opportunities for fraudulent ballot harvesting.
Additionally, the bill proposes to remove the witness signature requirement from absentee-by-mail ballot envelopes.
Proponents of the bill argue that the witness signature is inconvenient; however, critics highlight that voter identification, registration, and the voting process itself can also be seen as inconvenient.
The witness signature serves as an important affirmation of the voter’s identity, and its removal raises concerns about the integrity of voter signature verification, which is another cornerstone of mail-in voting.
Furthermore, supporters of the bill advocate for a ‘cure’ process for Alaska absentee-by-mail ballots, stating that voters need multiple chances to submit their ballots correctly.
However, data from the 2024 absentee-by-mail ballots indicates that the quality was high, with less than 1.6% defects.
Only the 2022 Special Primary Election and the 2020 Covid-impacted elections have shown witnessing issues, as the Covid pandemic created fear about obtaining witness signatures.
Critics view the bill’s provision for drop boxes as a vital component of future vote harvesting and potential fraud in mail-in voting.
They question the necessary adoption of these changes and the associated increased expenses without evidence of a recurring need.
Another critical concern is the bill’s impact on the voting rights of Alaskans who are out of state, as it requires voters to return to their place of “physical habitation.”
This requirement could disenfranchise many individuals, including military members, who cannot feasibly return to their prior housing in Alaska during their absence for medical, family, educational, or work-related reasons.
Critics assert that this move is a strategic ploy by Democrats to limit military voter participation in Alaska’s elections.
Denying military voters the ability to maintain their registration because they cannot return to their previous base housing could lead to significant disenfranchisement of those who consider Alaska their home.
Similarly, Alaskans who pursue education, training, or other career opportunities outside the state may face barriers to retaining their voter registration under the new bill.
This requirement disincentivizes individuals from returning to their home state, complicating housing situations and family dynamics.
The bill also seeks to integrate the Alaska Redistricting Board into the Open Meeting Act, a move that critics argue is inappropriate and further furthers their call to kill the bill, now referred to as CSSB 64B.
Overall, opponents deem SB 64 highly detrimental to both Alaskans and the integrity of Alaska’s election process, urging the public to communicate their opposition to their legislators and the governor.
Contact information for legislators can be found through provided links, with email address formats specified for senators and House members.
Randy Ruedrich, a former chairman of the Alaska Republican Party and a noted elections expert, raises these significant concerns as the bill moves through the legislative process.
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