2025-01-22                     House Journal                      Page 0055
HB 63                                                                                                                         
HOUSE BILL NO. 63 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                    
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to regional educational attendance area elections;                                                        
     relating to terms for members of regional school boards; relating                                                          
     to voter residence; relating to voter registration; relating to the                                                        
     inclusion of voter registration forms in permanent fund dividend                                                           
     applications; relating to election administration; relating to ballot                                                      
     counting; relating to absentee voting; relating to early voting;                                                           
     relating to voting by mail; relating to publication of election                                                            
     pamphlets; and relating to confidential information in voter                                                               
     registration records."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Finance                                                           
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1.  Fiscal, Office of the Governor                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21 follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker-Elect Edgmon:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18 of the Alaska                                                                    
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill to improve election efficiency                                                           
and integrity and to increase the flexibility of the Alaska Division of                                                         
Elections in the administration of elections in the State. This bill will                                                       
improve timelines, logistics, and processes for the public and the                                                              
division.                                                                                                                       

2025-01-22                     House Journal                      Page 0056
The Alaska division of elections strives to ensure the integrity and                                                            
transparency of elections. Nevertheless, many Alaskans have                                                                     
legitimate concerns about the reliability of elections due to outdated                                                          
and impractical provisions of our election code. This bill aims to                                                              
reform certain aspects of the Alaska election code in order to bolster                                                          
the public's trust in our election system.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
To that end, this bill will repeal provisions of Ballot Measure No. 1                                                           
from 2016 that authorized voters to register as part of their permanent                                                         
fund dividend application. It will close early voting five days prior to                                                        
Election Day and will authorize the Division to conduct elections by                                                            
mail for communities with a population of 750 or less. It provides for                                                          
postage-paid return envelopes for absentee ballots, requires absentee                                                           
ballots to be received by the Division on or before Election Day, and                                                           
authorizes the counting of absentee ballots to begin sooner. The bill                                                           
will give the Division greater flexibility in adjusting the pay of                                                              
election workers, setting the standards for voting booths, and in                                                               
printing and distributing election pamphlets. It will increase the terms                                                        
of regional school board members while decreasing the frequency of                                                              
regional school board elections.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor"