Chapter 4.30
ABSENTEE VOTING
Sections:
4.30.010 Administration of absentee voting.
4.30.030 Application for ballot.
4.30.040 Absentee voter at polls.
4.30.050 Materials for absentee voting.
4.30.060 Issuance of ballot by mail or in person.
4.30.070 Casting absentee ballot.
4.30.010 Administration of absentee voting.
The City Clerk shall provide general administrative supervision over the conduct of absentee voting and shall make available instructions to absentee voters regarding the procedure for absentee voting. The City Clerk is not required to provide for an absentee voting station on election day; questioned voting takes place on election day at the polls. [Ord. 95-1(S), 1995].
4.30.020 Eligibility.
At any election, a qualified voter may vote an absentee ballot for the precinct in which he resides and is registered:
a. If he believes that he will be unavoidably absent from his voting precinct on election day.
b. If he will be unable to be present at the polls because of physical disability. [Ord. 95-1(S), 1995; Ord. 84-17 § 5, 1984; Ord. 82-6 § 13, 1982].
4.30.030 Application for ballot.
a. A qualified voter may apply in person, by mail, or by electronic transmission for an absentee ballot. The application must be on a form prescribed or approved by the Clerk, and include the applicant’s full residence address, the applicant’s signature, the mailing address to which the absentee ballot is to be returned if the application requests delivery of an absentee ballot by mail, and the telephone electronic transmission number or email address to which the absentee ballot is to be returned if the application requests delivery of an absentee ballot by electronic transmission.
b. An application requesting delivery of an absentee ballot to the applicant in person may be received by the Clerk on any day after the ballots are prepared and available, but not on election day. An application requesting delivery of an absentee ballot to the applicant by mail must be received by the Clerk not earlier than the first day of the year in which the election is to be held or later than the Friday preceding the election. An application requesting delivery of an absentee ballot to the applicant by electronic transmission must be received by the Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.
c. Special Needs Voting. A qualified voter may apply for an absentee ballot through a personal representative on the day of, or not more than 15 days before the date of, a regular election. The written application shall contain the statement that he is a qualified voter of the City and his full Alaska residence address and that he will not be able to go to the polling place due to age, illness or disability and that he has not voted in any other manner in that election. The personal representative must sign the application and provide his residence and mailing addresses. The Election Supervisor is responsible for the procedures for special needs voting and may use the State procedures. [Ord. 12-22 § 2, 2012; Ord. 10-25 § 3, 2010; Ord. 03-66 § 6, 2003; Ord. 00-15 § 3, 2000; Ord. 95-1(S), 1995; Ord. 84-17 § 5, 1984; Ord. 82-6 § 13, 1982].
4.30.040 Absentee voter at polls.
Should an absentee voter present himself to vote on election day, he must present his absentee ballot to the judges before receiving a ballot. He shall vote a challenged ballot if his absentee ballot is not presented. The judge or judges of an election shall return the unused absentee voter’s ballot with the other voting materials of the precinct and this shall be duly noted by the precinct chair on the narrative form provided. [Ord. 99-13 § 6, 1999; Ord. 95-1(S), 1995].
4.30.050 Materials for absentee voting.
a. Each absentee voter who votes in person shall be supplied with an oath and affidavit envelope.
b. Each absentee voter who votes by mail shall be supplied with a small blank envelope or secrecy sleeve and a return envelope. On the return envelope there shall be an affidavit of voter qualification, with provision for attesting by a witnessing officer, or one witness, who shall be at least 18 years of age. The following notice shall appear on the return envelope: “Ballot Enclosed.”
c. Each absentee voter who votes by electronic transmission shall be supplied with a transmittal form, instructions for returning the completed ballot by electronic transmission, and a ballot that contains the following statement: “I understand that, by using electronic transmission to return my marked ballot, I am voluntarily waiving a portion of my right to a secret ballot to the extent necessary to process my ballot, but expect that my vote will be held as confidential as possible,” followed by the voter’s signature and date of signature. [Ord. 12-22 § 3, 2012; Ord. 03-66 § 7, 2003; Ord. 00-15 § 6, 2000; Ord. 95-1(S), 1995; Ord. 84-17 § 5, 1984; Ord. 82-6 § 13, 1982].
4.30.060 Issuance of ballot by mail or in person.
Before delivering any ballot, the Clerk shall verify the applicant’s right to vote and may require the applicant to comply with the challenged ballot procedure. Upon issuing an absentee ballot, the Clerk shall note the date of delivery, mailing or electronic transmission, either on the in-person oath and affidavit envelope or on the application for absentee ballot. The Clerk shall have available for public inspection the names and addresses of persons who voted absentee. [Ord. 12-22 § 4, 2012; Ord. 03-66 § 8, 2003; Ord. 95-1(S), 1995; Ord. 84-17 § 5, 1984; Ord. 82-6 § 13, 1982].
4.30.070 Casting absentee ballot.
a. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by mail, the voter may proceed to mark the ballot in secret, place the marked ballot in the secrecy sleeve, then place the secrecy sleeve in the return envelope provided, and sign the voter’s certificate on the back of the return envelope in the presence of a notary public, commissioned officer of the armed forces including the National Guard, district judge or magistrate, United States postal official, election official or other person qualified to administer oaths, who shall sign as a witness and attest to the date signed. If none of the officials listed in this subsection are reasonably accessible, an absentee voter shall sign the voter’s certificate on the back of the return envelope in the presence of a United States citizen who is 18 years of age or older, who shall sign as a witness and attest to the date signed. The voter may then return the envelope with the properly enclosed ballot, postmarked not later than the day of election, to the Clerk for delivery to the Canvass Board.
b. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot through special needs voting the voter may proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in a small blank envelope or a secrecy sleeve, to place the small envelope or secrecy sleeve in the larger envelope and to sign the voter’s certificate on the larger envelope in the presence of the personal representative, who shall sign as an attesting witness. The personal representative shall return the envelope with the properly enclosed ballot to the Clerk or to a City polling place by 8:00 p.m. on election day for delivery to the Canvass Board.
c. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot in person, the voter shall proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the small blank envelope or secrecy sleeve, to place the small envelope or secrecy sleeve in the larger envelope and to sign the voter’s certificate on the back of the larger envelope in the presence of the Clerk or a designated election official who shall sign as attesting witness and retain it for delivery to the Canvass Board.
d. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by electronic transmission the voter may proceed to mark the ballot in secret, sign the statement required by HCC 4.30.050(c), and a statement executed under oath as to the voter’s identity, witnessed by an official authorized to administer oaths or an individual who is 18 years of age or older. [Ord. 17-28 § 1, 2017; Ord. 12-22 § 5, 2012; Ord. 03-66 § 9, 2003; Ord. 00-15 § 5, 2000; Ord. 95-1(S), 1995; Ord. 84-17 § 5, 1984; Ord. 82-6 § 13, 1982].