Alaska Division of Elections Post-Election FAQ from the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election

Alaska « Selected Press Releases from the Secretary of State

Alaska Division of Elections
https://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/PostElectFAQ.php

Post-Election FAQ

Why does it take so long to count all the ballots?
Alaska is following the laws for the review and counting of absentee and questioned ballots. State law allows absentee ballots to be received up to 10 days after election day if postmarked by election day and mailed from within the US. Up to 15 days after election day if postmarked by election day mailed from outside the US. In order to ensure that voters do not vote more than once in an election, the division must wait for voter history to be completed from the paper precinct registers used at precincts on election day. There are a large number of these that come in the mail from outlying precincts. Given the geographic expanse of Alaska, this does take some time.

Once voter history is completed for a district, duplicate voter research is conducted. While this is happening, ballots are logged daily as received by regional offices. The absentee review board then reviews each ballot to determine voter eligibility and to ensure the voter certificate contains the information required by law. The Absentee Review Board begins meeting 7 days before Election Day. After these processes are completed, ballots are deemed eligible for counting and can be opened and prepared for counting. Counting is an ongoing process.
Why did so many race outcomes change after the election results were posted on November 3?
Due to COVID-19 and safety precautions, a record number of absentee ballots were cast. There were almost as many absentee votes as were voted on Election Day. That amount has never happened before, and such a large percentage of total votes cast made outcome changes inevitable.
Why is Alaska so much slower at counting than other states?
Other states’ elections are conducted by individual counties as opposed to our method of using one central entity to conduct elections. This means that every precinct in Alaska has the same procedures, uses the same equipment, and follows the same chain of command which makes resolving issues less difficult. In other states, supplies and materials can be driven to the various locations and that is not geographically possible in Alaska. We do not use computers to transfer information from polling places and instead rely on the paper precinct registers which have to be mailed to the division’s Director’s office for logging and voter history. This is done for security benefits paper ballots and registers provide and because of unreliable broadband internet in many villages. We are statutorily required to finish counting by November 18 and our target date for certification is November 25, which is ahead of 20 other states.
I heard ballots voted using a Sharpie won’t be counted. Is that true?
Voting machines accurately read and count ballots marked with Sharpies. Dominion voting systems do not allow for the creation of ballots with overlapping vote bubbles (“targets”) between the front and back pages of a ballot. Ballot targets are offset, so that any bleeding ink will not impact a person’s vote. Any overvoted contests are automatically sent to adjudication for Regional Supervisors to review for any possible voter intent issues.

Election officials are well-accustomed to dealing with ballots marked with different types of writing utensils. For high-traffic voting at the polls, fine-tipped Sharpies have been found to provide the fastest-drying ink, which helps to prevent any smearing or stray marks on ballots. Post-election audits can also verify that the voting machine accurately interpreted voter marks on ballots.
I heard there was a glitch in Dominion Voting equipment that changed votes. Did this happen in Alaska?
There are no credible reports or evidence of fraud or widespread issues from any states that use Dominion Voting equipment, including Alaska. The division’s systems and processes to tabulate and certify votes are protected by several safeguards that help ensure the accuracy of election results. The division performs all programming and our equipment is tested prior to each election by bi-partisan boards to ensure the election software is tabulating correctly. Errors can be identified and corrected because every tabulator prints a paper tape showing totals for every candidate and race. Because the division uses paper ballots, tapes can be compared to the ballots.

The same system was used in the primary. We conducted three recounts. In recounts done for Senate District B and House District 23, the results came out the same as certified by the State Review Board. The third recount, for House District 31 was conducted by hand and the results were also the same as certified results. The integrity and accuracy of Alaska’s election process is of utmost importance to the division. Our system of checks and balances has proved essential and effective to Alaska Elections.
How can you be sure the results are accurate?
Results are reviewed by Division of Elections staff at different points throughout the counting process. Absentee Review Boards (ARB) (consisting of bi-partisan voters) review all absentee ballots to determine whether they are eligible to be counted or not. The same process is followed for questioned ballots. Lastly, the State Review Board (SRB) which consists of bi-partisan voter board members, reviews and audits: precinct registers, ballot tabulation tapes, and summary sheets to verify election results that were uploaded and recorded correctly on Election Night; reviews absentee voting facility accountability reports; reviews the absentee and questioned ballot registers that reflect the number of ballots voted and counted to verify election results; and finally, conducts a hand-count verification of one precinct per house district that accounts for at least 5% of ballots cast in that district.

Results are reviewed by Division of Elections staff at different points throughout the counting process. Absentee Review Boards (ARB) (consisting of bi-partisan voters) review all absentee ballots to determine whether they are eligible to be counted or not. The same process is followed for questioned ballots. Lastly, the State Review Board (SRB) which consists of bi-partisan voter board members, reviews and audits: precinct registers, ballot tabulation tapes, and summary sheets to verify election results that were uploaded and recorded correctly on Election Night; reviews absentee voting facility accountability reports; reviews the absentee and questioned ballot registers that reflect the number of ballots voted and counted to verify election results; and finally, conducts a hand-count verification of one precinct per house district that accounts for at least 5% of ballots cast in that district.
Why did it take so long to start counting absentee ballots in my district and who determines when certain ballots are counted?
Regional offices are responsible for counting absentee ballots and each region’s Supervisor determines its counting schedule based on a variety factors. Absentee ballots cannot be counted until all precinct registers for that region have been received and logged by the Director’s office and some registers take longer than others to arrive. All absentee ballots must be reviewed by the region’s ARB before they are opened and counted. ARB starts meeting 7 days prior to Election Day to begin reviewing and with an unusually large volume of absentee ballots in 2020, this review process was not entirely completed by November 10 when we start counting.

Other than waiting until November 10 to count, this process is no different from prior elections. ARB reviews by House Districts and continues reviewing ballots throughout the counting period meaning not all districts are ready to be counted on the first day of counting. Every House District is a different size so Supervisors must also coordinate how many and which districts to count each day based on the number of ballots from each district. Opening ballots takes time and no ballots can be opened until they have been reviewed and deemed eligible for counting.
Why does the Summary PDF on the website’s results page say “100% of precincts reported” if you have not counted some district’s absentee ballots?
100% of precincts reporting refers to the results that were reported on Election Night which did not include any absentee or questioned votes. Absentee, questioned, and Early Votes are reported at the House District level.
How can I find out if my vote was counted?
If you voted in person at a polling place and fed your ballot into a precinct scanner, it was counted. Voters whose absentee or questioned ballots were rejected or partially rejected are notified by mail and given the reason for rejection, within 60 days after the election is certified as statutorily required. If your vote was counted, you will not receive any type of notice.
What are the Recount procedures and how much does it cost?
In accordance with AS 15.20.450, an application for recount must include a deposit of $1,000 for each precinct, $2,000 for each House District and $15,000 for the entire state. The state will pay for the recount if candidates in the same race received a tie vote; there is less than 20 votes difference; or the difference is less than .5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the two candidates (or ballot measure for/against).

An application for recount cannot be filed until after the election has been certified. A defeated candidate or 10 qualified voters who believe there has been a mistake made by an election official or by the counting board in counting the votes in an election may file an application within five days after election certification by the state review board. *If it is for the office of Governor/Lieutenant Governor, it has to be filed within three day. The application must be in writing (there is no actual form). It must contain the name and mailing address of two persons who will represent the applicant and be present during the recount.

The recount must be held within three days of receipt of application for Governor/Lt. Governor and five days for all other races. All precinct ballots are recounted; followed by absentee, early and questioned ballots. A review of the rejected absentee and questioned ballots is also done. Recount results are certified by the State Review Board. There are provisions for an appeal to the court which must take place within five days after the recount is completed. Tie votes are determined by lot.