• Official Alaska Website
• Alaska Lieutenant Governor
  
• Elections Webpage
• Absentee Voting Rules Website

Summary

A person may vote at any election who:

• is a citizen of the United States,
• is 18 years of age or older,
• has been a resident of the state and of the election district in which the person seeks to vote for at least 30 days just before the election
• has registered before the election registration deadline, and
• has not to voted in another jurisdiction.

To apply, present Voter Registration Application at:

• Division of Elections
• Voter Registrar in local community
• City or borough clerk
• Public Service Agency (DMV, Health and Social Services, etc.)
• By mail with copy of identification to Division of Elections

A ballot may be cast in two ways in Alaska:
1) In-person at designated polling places on Election Day
2) Absentee

• By mail (deadline for applying: 10 days before an election)
• In person (available 15 days before an election)
• By fax (available 15 days before a Primary or General Election)
• Special needs (available 15 days before an election).

Deadlines

• Deadline to register to vote in November 2008 election: October 5, 2008
  
• Deadline to register for absentee ballot in November 2008 election: October 26, 2008
• 2008 - 2011 Election Dates and Deadlines (pdf)

Voting Equipment
Alaska uses Premier Elections Solutions GEMS 1.18.24 ballot tabulation software to program the memory cards used in the optical scan and touch screen voting units.
Ballots are processed in three different ways:

1. Hand-Count: This method is usually reserved for rural areas with few voters, votes are prepared in tally books and then uploaded to the GEMS software (135 hand-count precincts in Alaska)
2. Optical Scan: Most commonly used system, After voter votes, the voter inserts the ballot into the optical scan unit attached to ballot box. (304 optical scan precincts in Alaska)
3. Touch Screen: Votes get cast by touching button on screen and then verify paper trial to insure vote is accurate then votes get uploaded to GEMS software to determine election results.

Voting Methods by County

More from Count Every Vote Alaska