CHAPTER 25.20: ELECTION ORGANIZATION
Section
25.20.025 Notice of runoff [Repealed]
25.20.040 Ballots; form [Repealed]
25.20.050 Ballots; distribution
25.20.070 Reporting voting information to the state
25.20.090 Designation of hand-count precincts
25.20.010 TIME OF ELECTION.
(A) [Repealed by Ord. 99-081, § 10, 1999]
(B) The polls in each voting precinct shall be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on all election days for the purpose of voting.
(Ord. 99-081, § 10, 1997; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.020 NOTICE OF ELECTION.
(A) Notice of voter registration. The clerk shall publish a notice of voter registration not less than 60 calendar days before each election. The notice shall include the qualifications required of voters, the deadline for registering to vote in the election, and places where voters may register.
(B) Notice and publication. The clerk shall publish a notice of each election at least twice in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the borough. The first publication shall occur at least 30 calendar days before a regular election and 20 calendar days before a special election. Each notice of election shall include:
(1) the type of election, regular or special;
(2) the date of election;
(3) the location of the polling places and the hours the polling places shall be open;
(4) the offices to which candidates are to be elected;
(5) the subjects of propositions to be voted upon;
(6) instructions for absentee and/or early voting; and
(7) notification that anyone needing special assistance in casting their vote due to a disability or bilingual need shall contact the clerk for assistance at least 24 hours prior to the time of casting their ballot.
(C) Notice of bonded indebtedness. Before a general obligation bond issue election, the clerk shall publish notice of the borough’s total existing bonded indebtedness at least once a week for three weeks. The first notice shall be published at least 20 calendar days before the date of the election. The notice shall state:
(1) the current total general obligation bonded indebtedness, including authorized but unsold bonds of the borough;
(2) the cost of the debt service on the current indebtedness; and
(3) the total assessed valuation of property within the borough.
(Ord. 19-045, § 8, 2019; Ord. 16-064, § 8, 2016; Ord. 12-053, § 12, 2012; Ord. 03-074(AM), § 4, 2003; Ord. 02-067, § 8, 2002; Ord. 00-024 § 7, 2000; Ord. 99-081, § 11, 1999; Ord. 98-104, § 2, 1998; Ord. 97-025, § 7, 1997; Ord. 95-020, § 18, 1995; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.025 Notice of runoff. [Repealed by Ord. 02-067, § 9, 2002]
25.20.030 ELECTION OFFICIALS.
(A) Appointment, number. Before each election, the clerk shall recommend to the assembly at least three election officials in each precinct to constitute the election board for that precinct and the number of election officials that the clerk considers necessary to conduct absentee and early voting. One election official in each precinct shall be designated chairperson and shall be primarily responsible for administering the election in that precinct. If no chairperson is appointed for the precinct or the chairperson is unable to fulfill the chairperson’s duties, the other election officials shall perform the chairperson’s duties. The clerk may make necessary adjustments to the election boards as required to conduct a properly held election.
(B) Qualifications. Each election official shall be a registered voter of the precinct for which the election official is appointed, unless no voter is willing to serve. Absentee and early voting officials shall be qualified to vote in borough elections. There shall be no inquiry into an election official’s political party as a prerequisite to service. Candidates or members of the candidate’s immediate family may not serve as election officials for an election in which the candidate has filed a declaration of candidacy. All election officials shall attend training sessions offered by the clerk, unless excused by the clerk.
(C) [Repealed by Ord. 98-104, § 4, 1998]
(D) Oath. All election officials, before entering upon their duties, shall, in a manner prescribed by the clerk, subscribe to the oath required of all public officers by the Alaska State Constitution.
(E) Failure to serve. If any election official fails or refuses to attend and serve, the clerk shall appoint a person eligible under this section to serve in place of the absent election official.
(Ord. 03-074(AM), § 5, 2003; Ord. 02-067, § 10, 2002; Ord. 00-024 § 7, 2000; Ord. 98-104, §§ 3, 4, 1998; Ord. 96-014AM, § 6, 1996; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.040 Ballots; form. [Repealed by Ord. 98-104, § 5, 1998]
25.20.045 BALLOTS; FORM.
(A) The clerk shall prepare all official ballots to facilitate fairness, simplicity, and clarity in the voting procedure, to reflect most accurately the intent of the voter, and to expedite the administration of elections.
(B) The clerk shall determine the size of the ballot, the type of print, necessary additional instruction notes to voters, and other similar matters of form not provided by law. The ballots shall be numbered in series to ensure simplicity and secrecy and to prevent fraud.
(C) The names of candidates shall be printed as they appear upon the declaration of candidacy filed with the clerk and in accordance with MSB 25.15.015. The names of candidates shall be arranged alphabetically. Provisions shall be made for voting for a write-in candidate for each seat. The clerk shall include the following statement on ballots containing candidates:
A candidate’s designated affiliation does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the political party or group or that the party or group approves of or associates with that candidate, but only that the candidate is registered as affiliated with the political party or political group.
(D) Propositions and questions shall be placed on the ballot in the manner prescribed by the clerk. Provisions shall be made for marking the propositions “Yes” or “No.”
(Ord. 24-010, § 4, 2024; Ord. 16-064, § 9, 2016; Ord. 01-019, § 3, 2001; Ord. 99-081, § 12, 1999; Ord. 98-104, § 6, 1998)
25.20.050 BALLOTS; DISTRIBUTION.
(A) The clerk shall have ballots printed for each election which shall be in the clerk’s possession at least seven calendar days before each election. Early, absentee, and sample ballots shall be in the clerk’s possession 16 calendar days before a regular or special election. At that time, the ballots may be inspected by any candidate or the candidate’s authorized agent, and any mistake discovered shall be immediately corrected.
(B) Sufficient ballots and sample ballots shall be distributed to each election board prior to or on the date of the election before the opening of the polls. The ballots shall be distributed in containers marked with the number and type of ballots enclosed. A receipt for the ballots, including the number and type of ballots, shall be signed and dated by an election official. The clerk shall keep the receipt as part of the election record.
(C) No ballots shall be taken from the polling place before the closing of the polls, unless the clerk for good cause directs that the ballots be removed. A record shall be kept by the election officials of the ballots removed from a polling place.
(D) The clerk may select the vendor for the preparation, programming, and printing of the ballots without obtaining competitive bids.
(Ord. 19-045, § 9, 2019; Ord. 06-102(AM), § 3, 2006; Ord. 01-019, § 4, 2001; Ord. 99-081, § 13, 1999; Ord. 98-104, § 7, 1998; Ord. 97-079, § 4, 1997; Ord. 95-020, § 19, 1995; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.060 ELECTION MATERIALS.
(A) The clerk shall equip each precinct polling place with sufficient materials and supplies needed for the election, including all necessary registration materials before the opening of the polls.
(B) The clerk shall provide instructions to voters on how to obtain ballots, how to mark them, and how to obtain new ballots to replace those destroyed or spoiled.
(C) The clerk shall have sample ballots available to voters which are identical in form to the ballots to be used in the election and which are printed on colored paper and marked “sample.”
(D) The clerk shall provide booths at each polling place, with appropriate supplies and conveniences to enable each voter to mark the ballot screened from observation. At least three sides of each booth shall be enclosed.
(E) Ballot boxes shall be placed outside of the voting booths within plain view of the election officials, voters and other persons at the polling places.
(F) The clerk may make arrangements with the state of Alaska for the use of equipment and supplies relating to voting.
(G) In each polling place, the clerk shall require to be posted, in a location conspicuous to a person who will be voting, the following notice, written in bold:
A candidate’s designated affiliation does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the political party or group or that the party or group approves of or associates with that candidate, but only that the candidate is registered as affiliated with the party or group.
(Ord. 24-010, § 5, 2024; Ord. 22-119, § 2, 2022; Ord. 99-081, § 14, 1999; Ord. 98-104, § 8, 1998; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.070 REPORTING VOTING INFORMATION TO THE STATE.
Within 60 calendar days after each election held in the borough, the clerk shall certify and send to the Alaska State Division of Elections the official voter registers, questioned voter registers, early voter registers, and absentee voting lists containing the names, residence addresses, and voter identification of all persons who voted in that election.
(Ord. 01-019, § 5, 2001; Ord. 95-020, § 20, 1995; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.080 EXPENSES.
The borough shall pay all necessary election expenses, including those of securing places for polls and providing ballot boxes, ballots, voting booths, screens, national and state flags and other supplies, and any wages due election officials; however, all expenses of making a recount shall be apportioned pursuant to MSB 25.45.060.
(Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)
25.20.090 DESIGNATION OF HAND-COUNT PRECINCTS.
The clerk shall designate all precincts as hand-count.
(Ord. 22-119, § 3, 2022; Ord. 01-019, § 6, 2001; Ord. 98-104, § 9, 1998; Ord. 94-040AM1, § 3 (part), 1994)