Chapter 3.08
ABSENTEE VOTING
Sections:
3.08.009 Administration of absentee voting.
3.08.020 Application for ballot.
3.08.040 Materials for absentee voting.
3.08.050 Casting absentee ballot by mail.
3.08.060 Casting absentee ballot in person.
3.08.065 Absentee voting by personal representative.
3.08.070 Time for receipt of absentee ballot.
3.08.080 Procedure for counting absentee ballots.
3.08.009 Administration of absentee voting.
The City Clerk shall provide general administrative supervision over the conduct of absentee voting and make instructions available to absentee voters regarding the procedure for absentee voting. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.010 Eligibility.
Any qualified voter who expects to be absent from the City, or who will be unable to go to the polling place for reasons of physical disability, may cast an absentee ballot upon complying with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.020 Application for ballot.
A. By Mail. A qualified voter may apply for an absentee ballot by mail if postmarked not more than twenty days nor less than five days before any election. The application shall include the address to which the absentee ballot shall be returned, the applicant’s full North Pole resident address, and the applicant’s signature.
B. In Person. A qualified voter may apply in person for an absentee ballot on any day after the ballots are prepared and available, but not on election day. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.030 Issuance of ballot.
Before delivering any ballot, the Clerk shall be satisfied of 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 remove the numbered stub from the ballot and enter on the application the number of the ballot issued and the date of delivery or mailing. The Clerk shall have available for public inspection the names and addresses of persons who voted absentee. When the canvass board meets, the Clerk shall furnish to it all absentee ballot applications, bearing the required notations relative to issuance of ballots. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.040 Materials for absentee voting.
There shall be a small blank envelope and an identification envelope supplied to each absentee voter. The identification envelope shall have printed on its face an affidavit substantially in the following form:
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IDENTIFICATION ENVELOPE |
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STATE OF ALASKA |
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FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT |
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__________ deposes and says: I am a resident of and a voter of the City of North Pole, Alaska and I hereby enclose my ballot in compliance with the election code of the City of North Pole.
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Signature of Voter |
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Residence Address within City of North Pole |
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this _____ day of __________, 20___. I hereby certify that in my presence this affiant enclosed said ballot and handed me this envelope sealed, that he signed this affidavit and I acknowledged the same all in accordance with the law.
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Notary or Other Authorized Official’s Signature |
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My Commission expires: |
NOTICE – After receiving this sealed envelope from the person taking your affidavit, when voting outside the office of the City Clerk, you must immediately return it by mail, postage prepaid, to the City Clerk, 125 Snowman Lane, North Pole, AK 99705.
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MARKED BALLOT ENCLOSED |
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TO BE OPENED ONLY BY CANVASSING BOARD |
(Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.050 Casting absentee ballot by mail.
Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by mail, the voter (whether in or outside the State), before an election judge, notary public, commissioned officer of the armed forces including the National Guard, district judge or magistrate, United States Postmaster, or other person qualified to administer oaths, may proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the small blank envelope, to place that envelope in the identification envelope, and to sign the voter’s certificate on the identification envelope in the presence of a qualified official. The voter may then return the properly enclosed ballot by personal representative or by the most expeditious mail service to the Clerk, who shall retain it for delivery to the canvass board. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.060 Casting absentee ballot in person.
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, to place that envelope in the identification envelope, and to sign the voter’s certificate on the back of the identification envelope in the presence of the Clerk or other qualified official who shall retain it for delivery to the canvass board. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.065 Absentee voting by personal representative.
A. A voter who is physically disabled may apply with the Clerk for an absentee ballot through a personal representative on or after the twentieth day before an election up to and including the day of the election. The application shall be signed by the applicant and shall be accompanied by a letter from a licensed physician or a statement signed by two voters stating that the applicant will be unable to go to the polling place because of physical disability.
B. The personal representative shall deliver the absentee ballot to the voter as soon as practicable. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot through a personal representative, the voter shall proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the small envelope, to place the small envelope in the large envelope, and to sign the voter’s certificate on the envelope in the presence of the personal representative who shall witness and date the signature of the voter. The voter must mark the ballot and sign the voter’s certificate not later than election day. The voter shall then return the absentee ballot to the personal representative who shall deliver the ballot to the Clerk. The absentee ballot must be returned to the Clerk not later than 8:00 p.m. on election day.
C. The Clerk shall keep a record of the name and signature of each personal representative requesting the absentee ballot and the name of the person on whose behalf the ballot is requested. The Clerk shall record the date and time the absentee ballot is provided and the date and time the ballot is returned to the Clerk.
D. A person eighteen years of age or older may serve as a personal representative. A candidate for office at that election may not act as a personal representative. An individual may serve as a personal representative for not more than one physically disabled voter. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.070 Time for receipt of absentee ballot.
All ballots cast under the provisions of NPMC 3.08.050 and 3.08.060, in order to be counted, must be postmarked no later than the day of the election and must be received by the Clerk from the absent voter by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday following the election. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)
3.08.080 Procedure for counting absentee ballots.
Absentee ballots shall be counted in the same manner as challenged and questioned ballots as set out in NPMC 3.32.020. (Ord. 05-09 § 2, 2005)