HB 66: "An Act relating to voting, voter qualifications, and voter registration; relating to poll watchers; relating to absentee ballots and questioned ballots; relating to election worker compensation; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 66 01 "An Act relating to voting, voter qualifications, and voter registration; relating to poll 02 watchers; relating to absentee ballots and questioned ballots; relating to election worker 03 compensation; and providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 15.05.010 is amended to read: 06 Sec. 15.05.010. Voter qualification. A person may vote at any election who 07 (1) is a citizen of the United States; 08 (2) is 18 years of age or older; 09 (3) has been a resident of the state and of the house district in which 10 the person seeks to vote for at least 30 days just before the election; and 11 (4) has registered [BEFORE THE ELECTION] as required under 12 AS 15.07 and is not registered to vote in another jurisdiction. 13 * Sec. 2. AS 15.07.060(a) is amended to read: 14 (a) Each applicant who requests registration or reregistration shall supply the
01 following information: 02 (1) the applicant's name and sex; 03 (2) if issued, the applicant's State of Alaska driver's license number or 04 State of Alaska identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's 05 social security number; 06 (3) the applicant's date of birth; 07 (4) the applicant's Alaska residence address; 08 (5) a statement of whether the applicant has previously been registered 09 to vote in another jurisdiction, and, if so, the jurisdiction and the address of the 10 previous registration; 11 (6) a declaration that the applicant will be 18 years of age or older 12 within 90 days after the date of registration; 13 (7) a declaration that the applicant is a citizen of the United States; 14 (8) the date of application; 15 (9) the applicant's signature, electronic signature under (g) of this 16 section, or mark; 17 (10) any former name under which the applicant was registered to vote 18 in the state; 19 (11) an attestation that the information provided by the applicant in (1) 20 - (10) of this subsection is true; [AND] 21 (12) a certification that the applicant understands that a false statement 22 on the application may make the applicant subject to prosecution for a misdemeanor 23 under this title or AS 11; 24 (13) if applying within 30 days before an election, a declaration 25 stating whether the applicant established residency at least 30 days before the 26 date of the election in 27 (A) the state; 28 (B) the house district in which the applicant seeks to vote at 29 the election; and 30 (14) an acknowledgment of understanding by the applicant that, if 31 the applicant has previously been registered to vote in another jurisdiction, the
01 director will notify the chief elections officer of that jurisdiction that the 02 applicant has registered to vote in Alaska and request the applicant's voter 03 registration be canceled in that jurisdiction. 04 * Sec. 3. AS 15.07.060 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 05 (g) In accordance with AS 09.80.150(b), the director of the division shall 06 determine the form of an electronic signature that may be used to register or reregister 07 under (a) of this section and the process used to obtain the electronic signature. 08 * Sec. 4. AS 15.07.070(d) is amended to read: 09 (d) Qualified voters may register in person before a registration official or 10 through a voter registration agency at any time throughout the year. A qualified voter 11 who registers [, EXCEPT THAT A PERSON REGISTERING] within 30 days 12 preceding an election or on the day of an election may vote only an absentee in- 13 person, special needs, or questioned ballot [IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE] at that 14 election. Upon receipt and approval of the registration forms, the director or the 15 election supervisor shall forward to the voter an acknowledgment in the form of a 16 registration card, and the voter's name shall immediately be placed on the master 17 register. Names of persons registering 30 or more days before an election shall be 18 placed on the official registration list for that election. 19 * Sec. 5. AS 15.07.070(h) is amended to read: 20 (h) The director shall design the form of the voter's certificate appearing on 21 the envelope that is used for voting an absentee in-person, special needs, or 22 questioned ballot so that a voter's choice to register as nonpartisan, as undeclared, 23 or as affiliated with a political party or political group and all information required 24 for registration by AS 15.07.060(a) may be obtained from a voter who votes an 25 absentee in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot. If the voter voting an absentee 26 in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot has completed all information on the 27 voter registration portion of the absentee in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot 28 voter's certificate, the director shall place the name of the voter on the official 29 registration list. 30 * Sec. 6. AS 15.07.090(b) is amended to read: 31 (b) A voter shall reregister if the voter's registration is cancelled as provided in
01 AS 15.07.130. A person who has reregistered under this subsection may vote only 02 an absentee in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot until [THE 03 REREGISTRATION IS EFFECTIVE FOR] the next election that occurs at least 30 04 days after the date of reregistration. 05 * Sec. 7. AS 15.07.090(c) is amended to read: 06 (c) The director shall transfer the registration of a voter from one precinct to 07 another within a house district when requested by the voter. If a [THE] request is 08 [SHALL BE] made within 30 [OR MORE] days before [THE] election day, a person 09 who has moved to a new precinct may vote only an absentee in-person, special 10 needs, or questioned ballot. The director shall transfer the registration of a voter from 11 one house district to another when requested by the voter. The voter must reside in the 12 new house district for at least 30 days in order to vote a ballot for that district. 13 * Sec. 8. AS 15.07.090(d) is amended to read: 14 (d) A person who claims to be a registered voter, but for whom no evidence of 15 registration in the precinct can be found, may vote only an absentee in-person, 16 special needs, or questioned ballot [SHALL BE GRANTED THE RIGHT TO 17 VOTE IN THE SAME MANNER AS THAT OF A QUESTIONED VOTER AND 18 THE BALLOT SHALL BE TREATED IN THE SAME MANNER. THE BALLOT 19 SHALL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A "QUESTIONED BALLOT" AND SHALL BE 20 SO DESIGNATED. THE DIRECTOR OR THE DIRECTOR'S REPRESENTATIVE 21 SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER THE VOTER IS REGISTERED IN THE HOUSE 22 DISTRICT BEFORE COUNTING THE BALLOT. A VOTER WHO HAS FAILED 23 TO OBTAIN A TRANSFER AS PROVIDED IN (c) OF THIS SECTION SHALL 24 VOTE A "QUESTIONED BALLOT" IN THE PRECINCT IN WHICH THE VOTER 25 RESIDES]. 26 * Sec. 9. AS 15.07.130(e) is amended to read: 27 (e) For purposes of (b) and (d) of this section, a voter "appears to vote" if 28 (1) the voter is present at a polling place or at an early [ABSENTEE] 29 voting station designated under AS 15.20.045(b) at a time when the polling place or 30 early [ABSENTEE] voting station is operating, for the purpose of casting a vote; 31 (2) the voter applies to the division to obtain an absentee ballot; or
01 (3) in an election conducted by mail under AS 15.20.800, a voter who 02 has not received a ballot by mail makes a timely request to the division for a ballot. 03 * Sec. 10. AS 15.10.170 is amended to read: 04 Sec. 15.10.170. Appointment and privileges of watchers. (a) In a general 05 election, special election, or special primary election, a [THE] precinct party 06 committee, where an organized precinct committee exists, or the party district 07 committee where no organized precinct committee exists, or the state party chair 08 [CHAIRPERSON] where neither a precinct nor a party district committee exists, may 09 appoint one or more [PERSONS AS] watchers in each precinct and counting center. A 10 [FOR ANY ELECTION. EACH] candidate may appoint one or more watchers for 11 each precinct or counting center in the candidate's respective district or the state [FOR 12 ANY ELECTION]. Any organization or organized group that sponsors or opposes a 13 ballot proposition [AN INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM,] or recall may have one or 14 more [PERSONS AS] watchers at the polls and counting centers after first obtaining 15 authorization from the director. A state party chair [CHAIRPERSON], a precinct 16 party committee, a party district committee, or a candidate may not have more than 17 one watcher on duty at a time in any precinct or counting center. [A WATCHER 18 MUST BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN. THE WATCHER MAY BE PRESENT 19 AT A POSITION INSIDE THE PLACE OF VOTING OR COUNTING THAT 20 AFFORDS A FULL VIEW OF ALL ACTION OF THE ELECTION OFFICIALS 21 TAKEN FROM THE TIME THE POLLS ARE OPENED UNTIL THE BALLOTS 22 ARE FINALLY COUNTED AND THE RESULTS CERTIFIED BY THE 23 ELECTION BOARD OR THE DATA PROCESSING REVIEW BOARD. THE 24 ELECTION BOARD OR THE DATA PROCESSING REVIEW BOARD MAY 25 REQUIRE EACH WATCHER TO PRESENT WRITTEN PROOF SHOWING 26 APPOINTMENT BY THE PRECINCT PARTY COMMITTEE, THE PARTY 27 DISTRICT COMMITTEE, THE ORGANIZATION OR ORGANIZED GROUP, OR 28 THE CANDIDATE THE WATCHER REPRESENTS.] 29 (b) In [ADDITION TO THE WATCHERS APPOINTED UNDER (a) OF 30 THIS SECTION, IN] a primary election [OR SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION OR 31 SPECIAL ELECTION UNDER AS 15.40.140], each candidate may appoint one or
01 more watchers for [WATCHER IN] each precinct and counting center in the 02 candidate's respective district or the state. An organization or organized group 03 that sponsors or opposes a ballot proposition or recall may have one or more 04 watchers at the polls and counting centers after first obtaining authorization 05 from the director. 06 * Sec. 11. AS 15.10.170 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 07 (c) A watcher appointed under this section may be present at a position inside 08 the place of voting or counting that affords a full view of all action of the election 09 officials taken from the time the polls are opened until the ballots are finally counted 10 and the results certified by the election board or the data processing review board. The 11 election board or the data processing review board may require each watcher to 12 present written proof showing appointment by the respective precinct party committee, 13 party district committee, organization or organized group, or candidate the watcher 14 represents that is signed by the respective chair of the precinct party committee, party 15 district committee, state party chair, organization or organized group, or candidate. A 16 watcher must be a United States citizen. 17 * Sec. 12. AS 15.15.210 is amended to read: 18 Sec. 15.15.210. Questioning of voters of suspect qualification; questioned 19 ballot procedures. Every election official shall question, and every watcher and any 20 other person qualified to vote in the precinct may question, a person attempting to vote 21 if the questioner has good reason to suspect that the questioned person is not qualified 22 under AS 15.05. All questions regarding a person's qualifications to vote shall be 23 made in writing setting out the reason the person has been questioned. A questioned 24 person shall complete the declaration required under (b) of this section [, 25 BEFORE VOTING, SUBSCRIBE TO A DECLARATION IN A FORM PROVIDED 26 BY THE DIRECTOR ATTESTING TO THE FACT THAT IN EACH 27 PARTICULAR THE PERSON MEETS ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A 28 VOTER, IS NOT DISQUALIFIED, AND HAS NOT VOTED AT THE SAME 29 ELECTION, AND CERTIFYING THAT THE PERSON UNDERSTANDS THAT A 30 FALSE STATEMENT ON THE DECLARATION MAY SUBJECT THE PERSON 31 TO PROSECUTION FOR A MISDEMEANOR UNDER THIS TITLE OR AS 11.
01 AFTER THE QUESTIONED PERSON HAS EXECUTED THE DECLARATION, 02 THE PERSON MAY VOTE]. If the questioned person refuses to execute the 03 declaration, the person may not vote. 04 * Sec. 13. AS 15.15.210 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 05 (b) Each person voting a questioned ballot shall complete a declaration in a 06 form provided by the director attesting to the fact that the person is a qualified voter, is 07 not disqualified, and has not voted at the same election and certifying that the person 08 understands that a false statement on the declaration may subject the person to 09 prosecution for a misdemeanor under this title or AS 11. For state and local elections, 10 the voter must identify the voter's place of residence for the 30 days immediately 11 preceding the election. 12 * Sec. 14. AS 15.15.215(a) is amended to read: 13 (a) A voter who casts a questioned ballot shall vote the ballot in the same 14 manner as prescribed for other voters. The voter shall insert the ballot into a secrecy 15 sleeve and put the secrecy sleeve into an envelope on which the declaration required 16 by AS 15.15.210 [STATEMENT THE VOTER PREVIOUSLY SIGNED] is located. 17 The envelope shall be sealed and deposited in the ballot box. When the ballot box is 18 opened, the envelopes shall be segregated, counted, compared to the voting list, and 19 delivered to the official or body supervising the election. The merits of the question 20 shall be determined by this official or body in accordance with the procedure 21 prescribed for questioned votes in AS 15.20.207. 22 * Sec. 15. AS 15.20.030 is amended to read: 23 Sec. 15.20.030. Preparation of ballots, envelopes, and other material. The 24 director shall provide ballots for use as absentee ballots in all districts. The director 25 shall provide a secrecy sleeve in which the voter shall initially place the marked ballot, 26 and shall provide a postage-paid return [AN] envelope with the prescribed voter's 27 certificate on it, in which the secrecy sleeve with ballot enclosed shall be placed. The 28 director shall prescribe the form of and prepare the voter's certificate, envelopes, and 29 other material used in absentee voting. The voter's certificate shall include a 30 declaration, for use when required, that the voter is a qualified voter in all respects, a 31 blank for the voter's signature, a certification that the affiant properly executed the
01 marking of the ballot and gave the voter's identity, blanks for the attesting official [OR 02 WITNESS], and a place for recording the date the envelope was sealed and witnessed. 03 For state and local elections, the voter's certificate must include a declaration 04 identifying the voter's place of residence for the 30 days immediately preceding 05 the election. The envelope with the voter's certificate must include a notice that false 06 statements made by the voter or by the attesting official [OR WITNESS] on the 07 certificate are punishable by law. 08 * Sec. 16. AS 15.20.045(b) is amended to read: 09 (b) The director may designate by regulation adopted under AS 44.62 10 (Administrative Procedure Act) locations at which early [ABSENTEE] voting stations 11 will be operated for persons to vote absentee ballots on or after the 15th day before 12 an election up to and including the date of the election. The director shall supply these 13 [ABSENTEE] voting stations with absentee ballots for all house districts in the state 14 and shall designate absentee voting officials to serve at the [ABSENTEE] voting 15 stations. A designation as an early voting station under this subsection remains in 16 effect unless 17 (1) the location is no longer available for use as an early voting 18 station; or 19 (2) the director determines that the location is no longer 20 appropriate for use as an early voting station and makes that determination 21 available to the public in writing. 22 * Sec. 17. AS 15.20.045(c) is amended to read: 23 (c) In a municipality in which the division will not be operating an early 24 [ABSENTEE] voting station under this section, the director may designate the 25 municipal clerk as an absentee voting official for the limited purpose of distributing 26 absentee ballots to qualified voters under AS 15.20.061(a)(1) and qualified voters' 27 representatives under AS 15.20.072. At least 15 days before the election, the director 28 shall supply municipal clerks designated under this subsection with absentee ballots. 29 * Sec. 18. AS 15.20.050 is amended to read: 30 Sec. 15.20.050. Requirement of full public notice. The director shall give full 31 public notice of the dates and manner of voting absentee and may select any means of
01 communication permitted to be used in giving notice of the date and time of the 02 general election. The director shall give notice under this section of the location of 03 early [ABSENTEE] voting stations designated under AS 15.20.045(b) at least 45 04 days before each election. 05 * Sec. 19. AS 15.20.061(a) is amended to read: 06 (a) A qualified voter may apply in person for an absentee ballot to the 07 following election officials at the times specified: 08 (1) to an absentee voting official on or after the 15th day before an 09 election up to and including the date of the election; 10 (2) to an election supervisor on or after the 15th day before an election 11 up to and including the date of the election; 12 (3) to an absentee voting official at an early [ABSENTEE] voting 13 station designated under AS 15.20.045(b) on or after the 15th day before an election 14 up to and including the date of the election; 15 (4) to an absentee voting official in the precinct in which no volunteers 16 can be located to serve on the election board on or after the 15th day before an election 17 up to and including election day. 18 * Sec. 20. AS 15.20.064(b) is amended to read: 19 (b) The election supervisor or other election official shall issue a ballot to the 20 voter upon 21 (1) exhibition of proof of identification as required in AS 15.15.225; 22 (2) verification that the voter's residence address appearing on the 23 official registration list for that election is current; and 24 (3) the voter's signing the early voting register. 25 * Sec. 21. AS 15.20.064 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 26 (e) If a voter's eligibility to vote cannot be verified by the election supervisor 27 or other election official under (b) of this section, the voter shall vote an absentee 28 ballot in the manner provided in AS 15.20.061. 29 * Sec. 22. AS 15.20.072(b) is amended to read: 30 (b) The voter may, through a representative, request a special needs ballot 31 from the following election officials at the times specified:
01 (1) from an absentee voting official on or after the 15th day before an 02 election, up to and including election day; 03 (2) from an election supervisor on or after the 15th day before an 04 election up to and including election day; 05 (3) from an absentee voting official at an early [ABSENTEE] voting 06 station designated under AS 15.20.045(b) on or after the 15th day before an election 07 up to and including the date of the election; or 08 (4) from a member of the precinct election board on election day. 09 * Sec. 23. AS 15.20.081(b) is amended to read: 10 (b) An application requesting delivery of an absentee ballot to the applicant by 11 mail must be received by the division of elections not less than 10 days before the 12 election for which the absentee ballot is sought. An application for an absentee ballot 13 for a state election from a qualified voter requesting delivery of an absentee ballot to 14 the applicant by electronic transmission must be received by the division of elections 15 not later than 5:00 p.m. Alaska time on the day before the election for which the 16 absentee ballot is sought. An absentee ballot application submitted by mail under this 17 section must permit the person to register to vote under AS 15.07.070, to declare an 18 affiliation under AS 15.07.075, if any, and to request an absentee ballot for each state 19 election held within that calendar year for which the voter is eligible to vote. An 20 absentee ballot application submitted by electronic transmission under this section 21 shall [MAY NOT] include a provision that permits a person to register to vote under 22 AS 15.07.070. 23 * Sec. 24. AS 15.20.081(d) is amended to read: 24 (d) Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by mail, the voter [, IN THE 25 PRESENCE OF A NOTARY PUBLIC, COMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE 26 ARMED FORCES INCLUDING THE NATIONAL GUARD, DISTRICT JUDGE 27 OR MAGISTRATE, UNITED STATES POSTAL OFFICIAL, REGISTRATION 28 OFFICIAL, OR OTHER PERSON QUALIFIED TO ADMINISTER OATHS,] may 29 proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve, to place 30 the secrecy sleeve in the envelope provided, and to sign and date the voter's 31 certificate on the envelope. The [IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OFFICIAL LISTED IN
01 THIS SUBSECTION WHO SHALL SIGN AS ATTESTING OFFICIAL AND 02 SHALL DATE THE SIGNATURE. IF NONE OF THE OFFICIALS LISTED IN 03 THIS SUBSECTION IS REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE, AN ABSENTEE VOTER 04 SHALL SIGN THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN 05 INDIVIDUAL WHO IS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, WHO SHALL SIGN AS 06 A WITNESS AND ATTEST TO THE DATE ON WHICH THE VOTER SIGNED 07 THE CERTIFICATE IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S PRESENCE, AND, IN ADDITION, 08 THE] voter shall certify, as prescribed in AS 09.63.020, under penalty of perjury, that 09 the statements in the voter's certification are true. 10 * Sec. 25. AS 15.20.081 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 11 (m) An absentee ballot application must include an option for a qualified voter 12 to choose to receive absentee ballots by mail for future regularly scheduled state 13 elections. The division may not require a voter who chooses this option to reapply for 14 an absentee ballot by mail unless 15 (1) the voter has not voted an absentee ballot for a period of four years; 16 or 17 (2) the voter's previous absentee ballot sent under this section was 18 returned to the division as undeliverable. 19 * Sec. 26. AS 15.20.201(b) is amended to read: 20 (b) Counting of absentee ballots that have been reviewed shall begin not 21 fewer than seven days preceding [AT 8:00 p.m., LOCAL TIME, ON] the day of the 22 election at places designated by each election supervisor and shall continue until all 23 absentee ballots reviewed and eligible for counting have been counted. The counting 24 teams shall report the first count of absentee ballots to the district absentee ballot 25 counting board not later than [. AN ELECTION SUPERVISOR OR AN ELECTION 26 OFFICIAL MAY NOT COUNT ABSENTEE BALLOTS BEFORE] 8:00 p.m., local 27 time, on the day of the election. Counting of the absentee ballots shall continue at 28 times designated by the election supervisor until all absentee ballots are counted. 29 * Sec. 27. AS 15.20.203(b) is amended to read: 30 (b) An absentee ballot may [NOT] be rejected [COUNTED] if 31 (1) the voter has failed to properly sign and date [EXECUTE] the
01 certificate; 02 (2) the voter has failed to provide proof of identification as 03 required by AS 15.20.081(f) [AN OFFICIAL OR THE WITNESSES 04 AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO ATTEST THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE FAIL TO 05 EXECUTE THE CERTIFICATE, EXCEPT THAT AN ABSENTEE BALLOT CAST 06 IN PERSON AND ACCEPTED BY AN ABSENTEE VOTING OFFICIAL OR 07 ELECTION SUPERVISOR MAY BE COUNTED DESPITE FAILURE OF THE 08 ABSENTEE VOTING OFFICIAL OR ELECTION SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY 09 SIGN AND DATE THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE AS ATTESTING OFFICIAL AS 10 REQUIRED UNDER AS 15.20.061(c)]; 11 (3) the ballot is not signed [ATTESTED] on or before the date of the 12 election; 13 (4) the ballot, if postmarked, is not postmarked on or before the date of 14 the election; 15 (5) after the day of election, the ballot was delivered by a means other 16 than mail; or 17 (6) the voter voted 18 (A) in person and is a 19 (i) first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by 20 facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director 21 under AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification required by 22 AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for waiver of the identification 23 requirement under AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the 24 identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be verified 25 through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e); or 26 (ii) voter other than one described in (i) of this 27 subparagraph, did not provide identification described in 28 AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known by the election official, 29 and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and 30 (3); or 31 (B) by mail or electronic transmission, is a first-time voter who
01 initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission 02 approved by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not met the 03 identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with 04 the ballot a copy of a 05 (i) driver's license, state identification card, current and 06 valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or 07 fishing license; or 08 (ii) current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, 09 government check, or other government document; an item described 10 in this sub-subparagraph must show the name and current address of 11 the voter. 12 * Sec. 28. AS 15.20.203(i) is amended to read: 13 (i) The director shall mail the materials described in (h) of this section to the 14 voter not later than three days after a ballot has been rejected and in no event later 15 than 10 days after the election if the ballot is rejected by the 10th day after the 16 election. In addition to mailing the material described in (h) of this section, the 17 director may notify a voter by telephone, electronic mail, or text message that a 18 ballot has been rejected 19 [(1) 10 DAYS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE REVIEW OF 20 BALLOTS BY THE STATE REVIEW BOARD FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION OR 21 A SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION UNDER AS 15.40.140; 22 (2) 60 DAYS AFTER CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF A 23 GENERAL ELECTION OR SPECIAL ELECTION OTHER THAN A SPECIAL 24 PRIMARY ELECTION DESCRIBED IN (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION]. 25 * Sec. 29. AS 15.20.203(j) is amended to read: 26 (j) The director shall make available through a free access system to each 27 absentee voter a system to check to see whether the voter's ballot was counted and, if 28 not counted, the reason why the ballot was not counted. The director shall make this 29 information available through the free access system immediately after the director 30 receives the voter's rejected ballot [NOT LESS THAN 31 (1) 10 DAYS AFTER CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF A
01 PRIMARY ELECTION OR SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION UNDER 02 AS 15.40.140; AND 03 (2) 30 DAYS AFTER CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF A 04 GENERAL OR SPECIAL ELECTION, OTHER THAN A SPECIAL PRIMARY 05 ELECTION DESCRIBED IN (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION]. 06 * Sec. 30. AS 15.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 07 Sec. 15.20.204. Curing a rejected absentee ballot. (a) Not later than the 08 completion of the state ballot counting review, a voter may, in person at a polling 09 location or other location designated by the division or in a sworn affidavit on a form 10 provided by the division, provide proof of identification and cure an absentee ballot 11 rejected because of a voter's failure to 12 (1) sign the certificate; 13 (2) date the certificate or because the voter provides an improper date 14 on the certificate, if received by the division on or before the day of the election; or 15 (3) provide proof of identity as required by AS 15.20.081(f). 16 (b) If a voter's absentee ballot was rejected on or before election day, the voter 17 may attest in a sworn affidavit that the voter's absentee ballot was rejected and mark a 18 questioned ballot. 19 (c) Cured absentee ballots shall be forwarded immediately to the director by 20 the most expeditious service. 21 * Sec. 31. AS 15.20.220(b) is amended to read: 22 (b) The state review board shall review and count absentee ballots under 23 AS 15.20.081(e) and (h), absentee ballots properly cured under AS 15.20.204, and 24 questioned ballots that have been forwarded to the director and that have not been 25 reviewed or counted by a district counting board. 26 * Sec. 32. AS 15.56.030(d) is amended to read: 27 (d) For purposes of (a)(2) and (3) of this section, "other valuable thing" 28 (1) includes 29 (A) an entry in a game of chance in which a prize of money or 30 other present or future pecuniary gain or advantage may be awarded to a 31 participant wherein the total of the prizes offered is greater than $2 per
01 participant with a maximum of $100; and 02 (B) government employment or benefits; 03 (2) does not include 04 (A) materials having a nominal value bearing the name, 05 likeness, or other identification of a candidate, political party, political group, 06 party district committee, or organization, or stating a position on a ballot 07 proposition or question; 08 (B) food and refreshments provided incidental to an activity 09 that is nonpartisan in nature and directed at encouraging persons to vote, or 10 incidental to a gathering in support of or in opposition to a candidate, political 11 party, political group, party district committee, organization, or ballot question 12 or proposition; 13 (C) care of the voter's dependents provided in connection with 14 the absence of a voter from home for the purpose of voting; 15 (D) services provided by a person acting as a representative 16 under AS 15.20.072; 17 (E) services provided by an election official as defined in 18 AS 15.80.010; [AND] 19 (F) transportation of a voter to or from the polls without 20 charge; and 21 (G) postage-paid return envelopes required in 22 AS 15.20.030. 23 * Sec. 33. AS 15.80 is amended by adding a new section to read: 24 Sec. 15.80.009. Election worker minimum compensation. The division shall 25 pay not less than 26 (1) $15.00 an hour to election board workers for time spent performing 27 their election duties; 28 (2) $15.50 an hour to election board chairs for time spent performing 29 their election duties; 30 (3) $15.00 an hour to district absentee ballot review boards, questioned 31 ballot review boards, and absentee voting officials for time spent performing their
01 election duties; 02 (4) $15.50 an hour to absentee voting station officials at absentee 03 stations for time spent performing their election duties; 04 (5) $15.00 an hour to ballot tabulation coordinators, polling place field 05 workers, individuals appointed as personal representatives, and absentee and 06 questioned ballot processors for time spent performing their election duties; 07 (6) $12.50 an hour to extra election day and election night workers and 08 write-in counting team members for time spent performing their election duties. 09 * Sec. 34. AS 15.80.010 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 10 (47) "electronic signature" has the meaning given in AS 09.80.190. 11 * Sec. 35. AS 29.20.380(c) is amended to read: 12 (c) The municipal clerk may act as an absentee voting official under 13 AS 15.20.045(c) for the limited purpose of distributing absentee ballots to qualified 14 voters or qualified voters' representatives under AS 15.20.072 in a municipality in 15 which the division of elections will not be operating an early [ABSENTEE] voting 16 station under AS 15.20.045(b). 17 * Sec. 36. AS 29.26.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 18 (d) Except as a municipality may require for elections held only in specific 19 local election districts or service areas under (b) of this section, a person who has lived 20 within the municipality for at least 30 days, but who has not registered to vote in state 21 elections at a residence address within the municipality at least 30 days before a 22 municipal election, may vote only an absentee, special needs, or questioned ballot in 23 that election. 24 * Sec. 37. AS 29.26.050(a)(3) is repealed. 25 * Sec. 38. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.