Legislature(2025 - 2026)GRUENBERG 120
02/13/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB10 | |
| HB21 | |
| HB43 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 43-ELECTIONS, VOTING, BALLOTS
3:56:10 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 43 "An Act relating to elections; relating to
voters; relating to the crime of unlawful interference with
voting; and providing for an effective date."
CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on HB 43.
3:56:43 PM
MR WELTON stated that he supports the proposed changes in HB 43.
He believes that they will increase access to the ballot box and
when more people vote, government representation is better. He
remarked on a couple pieces of the bill that he agreed with such
as ballot curing and pre-registration. He stated that people
like it when they can fit voting into a busy schedule. He also
said that removing the witness signature without an
authentication process was also sensible. He remarked on the
postage paid envelope to make it easier for voters.
3:59:57 PM
SENATOR MIKE SHOWER, Alaska State Legislature, testified and
provided comments on HB 43. He remarked that he had been
working on this bill concept for the better part of eight years.
He remarked that the previous testimony did not highlight the
whole story. He remarked that there are other pieces of the
bill that require attention but many parts of the bill he agreed
with, such as ballot curing. He said that if a bill is passed,
it needs to consider the other side of the equation. For
example, if a 30-day registration was implemented, he remarked
that districts can get flooded with people prior to an election.
He also noted that every time someone applies for a permanent
fund dividend (PFD), they are re-registered to vote. In other
words, those people are perpetually on the voter roll and it's
difficult to remove them and clean up the roll. He opined that
Alaska has the worst voter roll in the nation and it is
inflated. He remarked that not having a witness signature
sounds good, but questioned how the state would then verify it.
He discussed issues with current voting dynamics. He said
ballot curing is great, but ballot tracking would be needed. He
mentioned other states ballot curing procedures and how Alaska
needs to follow suit. He remarked that he wanted to ensure that
any bill that can pass the body would get the approval of the
governor.
4:04:50 PM
RANDY RUEDRICH, representing self, testified in opposition to HB
43. He remarked that these processes were key to running a
constitutional republic. He first addressed the issue of same-
day registration and said that it is troubling that someone
could be registered the same day. He said that people could be
recruited off the street for voting purposes and this could
cause a distortion of ballot counts. He also said that the
witness signature is extremely important and was the validation
for the absentee ballots. He expressed concern that starting
the thirty-day clock for early voting is troubling. He said
that a candidate running for office needs to be on schedule and
it could result in additional expenses for candidates. He also
opined that curing ballots isn't necessary.
4:08:50 PM
PEGGY ROBINSON, representing self, testified that since 2002 she
has been an early vote coordinator and has worked other roles
pertaining to elections. She said that there are things in HB
43 that she likes but other components that she does not. She
said that the 30-day registration window is an issue because the
Division of Elections has a difficult time hiring enough people
to work, especially for early elections. She said that a lot of
these employees are older and only want to work half-time
shifts. She could not imagine doing 30 days of work as opposed
to the current 15. She said as chairs they are not paid more
than the regular workers and there are no financial incentives
to work more. She discussed vote-by-mail and its relationship
with wait times at the ballot boxes. She said some people voted
early because they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to
make it to the ballot box.
4:12:31 PM
CHARLIE FRANZ, representing self, testified in opposition to HB
43. He said HB 43 weakens rather than strengthens the election
system. He opined that if voters are careless and don't sign
their ballot, it should be thrown away. If it is a ballot with
a fictitious witness on it, it should be tossed as well and
anyone who accepted it should be fired. He remarked that
witness signatures should be required on all ballots. He said
same-day registration adds to the pre-existing workload for the
Division of Elections. He urged members to vote against the
bill and instead strengthen the election system.
4:14:31 PM
LINDA MORNING, representing self, testified in support of HB 43.
She said HB 43 would help Alaskans express their wishes to the
government. She said along with the provisions in the bill, she
would like to see a recurring voter list created and a liaison
to help rural Alaskan voices be heard.
4:15:22 PM
KEVIN BANKS, representing self, testified in support of HB 43.
He said he supports HB 43, and providing access by removing
barriers is important. He said the fear of election fraud may
be overestimated and often restricts access for eligible voters.
He said that some people live in areas where it is difficult to
get a witness, and the signature requirement is an odd barrier.
He remarked on the things that would be ideal to accommodate
voters. He said that ballot curing is a substantial
improvement.
4:17:36 PM
MICHELLE SPARCK, Director, Get Out the Native Vote, testified
that Get Out the Native Vote likes the idea of eliminating the
witness signature. She said that the group also likes the idea
of a ballot curing process and postage paid envelopes. She said
that while extending voting to 30 days early could cause
problems, it may help voters. She said that many rural
residents are always traveling, and the increased accommodation
would be good. She noted that Region 4 has suffered from voting
issues in the last five election cycles and several villages
have been left out. She noted that one area in 1992 had a
turnout rate of 66.19 percent and the turnout rate in 2024 was
30.37 percent. She suggested that the drop in voter turnout was
attributed to worsening voting systems. She echoed the previous
testifier and suggested that a rural voting liaison would be
important.
4:21:22 PM
SUE SHERIF, Board Member, League of Women Voters of Alaska,
testified in support of HB 43. She said that the League of
Women Voters believes that the bill would protect rights of
Alaska voters and would increase participation for qualified
voters. She remarked that the group supported the entire bill
but wanted to put the spotlight on a few provisions. She
remarked about the number of rejected ballots in 2022 and
discussed the pre-paid postage proposals regarding ballots, and
she said some communities don't have access to purchasing
stamps. She said that witness signatures can cause issues for
voters as well.
4:25:54 PM
SAMANTHA MINTZ-GENTZ, representing self, testified in support of
HB 43. She said she especially liked the portion specific to
special needs and the ability to cure ballots. She remarked on
the low rates of voter turnout in Alaska and said that it's fine
if the voting counts are late if legitimate ballots are counted.
She also said she supports same day registration and voting at
all open polling places. She said that Alaska should be
increasing accessibility for voting and all those eligible.
4:27:59 PM
CHRISTOPHER CONSTANT, Chair, Anchorage Assembly, testified in
support of HB 43. He said that the assembly hasn't taken an
official stance on the bill, but the elections team has reviewed
it and doesn't see anything that would adversely affect the
elections in Anchorage. He requested a few amendments for HB 43
that would bring more accuracy to voter rolls. Anchorage
requests changes to Alaska Statute Title 15 focusing on voter
registration rolls. He said it currently takes eight years to
remove a voter from the rolls if they are inactive. He said the
state sends substantial money to non-voters who are no longer
eligible for voting. He said that tools can be put into place
to better maintain voter rolls. He listed additional amendment
suggestions to HB 43 that would help Anchorage voters. He
remarked that the assembly felt that previous comments by
Senator Shower were valid and registration processes on the PFD
should be addressed. He supported curing and tracking and
opined that the witness signature without validation is simply a
bar to vote. He mentioned that Anchorage has a voter signature
review process unlike many other areas in Alaska.
4:32:09 PM
CHAIR CARRICK said that written comments can be sent in and
added to the record. She also remarked on paperwork given to
committee members that pertain to each of the proposed bills.
4:32:52 PM
DONNA ANDERSON, representing self, testified in opposition to HB
43. She said that she is a former educator and said that all
the time she hears that the public isn't happy when the bar is
lowered. She said that voting is the most important civic duty
for adults. She remarked that sending stamps to adults and
removing the witness signature was lowering the bar and
cautioned that doing so would open the door for impropriety.
4:33:53 PM
CHAIR CARRICK, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 21.
4:34:33 PM
Amanda Ndemo, Staff, Representative Calvin Schrage, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Schrage, prime sponsor,
read the sectional analysis [provided in the committee file],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Section 1 Removes language from AS 15.05.010
requiring a qualified voter to register before an
election as stipulated in AS 15.07.
Section 2 Amends AS 15.07.060 by adding a new
subsection that requires applicants who register
within 30 days before an election to provide: an
affidavit stating that they have established residency
at least 30 days before the desired election; a copy
of government issued identification that displays the
applicant's Alaska residence address; or government
document showing applicant's name and Alaska
residence.
Section 3 Amends AS 15.07.070(c) by adding that an
applicant whose registration does not meet the
requirements for placement on the master register for
the next election may vote an absentee in-person,
special needs, or questioned ballot in that election.
Section 4 Amends AS 15.07.070(d) to stipulate that a
qualified voter who registers within 30 days before or
on the day of an election may vote only an absentee
in-person, special needs or questioned ballot at that
election. It removes the language making the person
ineligible to vote at that election and restricts the
division from rejecting the absentee in-person,
special needs, or questioned ballot of a qualified
voter who registered within 30 days of election or on
the day of an election on the grounds the voter is not
on an official registration list.
Section 5 Amends AS 15.07.070(h) requiring the
voter's certificate used for voting an absentee in-
person or questioned ballot to include instructions
that a person registering to vote using the voter's
certificate and wishing to declare the person's
affiliation should complete the affiliation section on
the certificate. This subsection is also amended to
include special needs ballots in this requirement.
Section 6 - Amends AS 15.07.090(b) to stipulate that a
person who has reregistered under this subsection may
vote only an absentee in-person, special needs, or
questioned ballot until the next election occurs, at
least 30 days after re-registration. The division may
not reject the absentee in-person, special needs, or
questioned ballot of a qualified voter who reregisters
within 30 days before election day because the voter's
name is not on the official registration list.
Section 7 Amends AS 15.07.090(c) to stipulate that
if a voter's request to transfer registration is made
within 30 days before or on election day, that voter
may vote only in absentee in-person, special needs, or
questioned ballot. The division may not reject the
ballot of a voter who satisfies these requirements on
the basis that they are not on the official
registration list for the election. A voter must
reside in the new house district for at least 30 days
to vote a ballot for that district.
Section 8 Amends AS 15.07.090(d) to stipulate that a
qualified voter who registers within 30 days of
election and for whom no evidence of registration in
the precinct can be found may only vote an absentee
in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot and
that the division may not reject said ballot on the
grounds the voter is not on the official registration
list for the election.
Section 9 Amends AS 15.07.130(e) to rename "absentee
voting stations" to "early voting stations."
Section 10 - Amends AS 15.15.370 to add a stipulation
requiring that, when the director of Elections
publishes unofficial election results, they will
include the subsequent rankings selected by the voters
who ranked that candidate as the voters' first choice.
Section 11 Amends AS 15.20.030 to include a postage-
paid return envelope with the mail-in ballot and
materials. It also adds space for recording the date
of the voter's signature declaring the person is a
qualified voter. This section prohibits the
identification of a voter's party affiliation on the
ballot envelope and also removes reference to the
requirement of witness signatures.
Section 12 Amends AS 15.20.045 to rename absentee
voting stations as early voting stations and
stipulates that the director shall provide locations
designated as early voting stations with the
appropriate ballots at least 30 days before the
election, in line with extending early voting options
to 30 days before an election.
Section 13 Amends AS 15.20.050 with conforming
language in line with renaming absentee voting
stations as early voting stations.
Section 14 Amends AS 15.20.061 extending the period
that a qualified voter may apply in person for an
absentee ballot from the 15th day before an election
up to and including the date of the election to on or
after the 30th day.
Section 15 Amends AS 15.20.064(a) permits a
qualified voter who meets the requirements set out in
this section to vote 30 days before an election or on
election day.
Section 16 Amends AS 15.20.064 to add a stipulation
permitting a voter who fails to meet the voter
verification requirements of this section to vote an
absentee ballot.
4:40:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked about the impact of extending early
voting from 15 to 30 days and wanted clarification on how it
would affect other deadlines pertaining to both political
candidates and the Division of Elections.
MS. BEECHER responded that early voting would impact the 12
locations that currently have it, and early voting places are
where any ballot can be cast. She said that one of the biggest
impacts would be getting the ballots prepared. She opined that
the withdrawal dates would be impacted, and ballots can't be
completed until knowing whether a candidate has withdrawn, and
it takes time to get ballots sent out. She remarked that it is
a complex process, and the proposed bill would impact processing
components and withdrawal dates for candidates. She said it
would be a challenge for the division to start early voting
sooner.
4:43:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked for clarification for the 24-hour
period pertaining to Section 22 of the proposed bill.
MS. BEECHER responded that based off what the bill says, it
appears that the cure process would be triggered after the
absentee review board says that a ballot will be rejected. She
remarked that this is what would trigger this process, and it is
contingent on the timeframe of reviewing the ballots.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked about the 30-day window for
people to register up to election day. She said that it could
allow a tight race to stack people in the district in which a
person is voting. She asked if it's possible that people could
register to vote in areas they don't live.
4:45:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CALVIN SCHRAGE, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor discussed and answered questions about HB 43. He
remarked that concerns regarding district stacking are
overstated, and it is unlikely this could occur. He said that
if they are truly moving or changing location to that district,
HB 21 would allow them to re-register in that 30-day period. He
said it would also solve the problem of not being able to vote
in a new district or old one following a moved household.
4:47:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY raised concerns about problems with Western
Alaska voting and if the bill contained components to help
support these voters.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE responded that HB 21 would address the
question of the witness signature. He said this was the biggest
issue impacting voters for this region and the proposed bill
would remove this requirement. He reaffirmed that witness
signatures are not validated by the Division of Elections. He
said that the bill is not removing election integrity measures,
and an affidavit would still need to be signed. He also said
that the bill does not address the issue of paid postage, and it
is best addressed with mail carriers. He remarked that this was
a challenging issue to address as a state.
4:50:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked how ballot tracking works, and
she remarked that she would prefer ballots to be anonymous. She
said that a previous comment was that if ballot access is
expanded then tracking would be needed.
MS BEECHER responded that currently the Division of Elections
uses the myAlaska voter portal. She said when an absentee
ballot is mailed it is noted in the portal. When it is received
back by the division, it is noted. Lastly, when the ballot is
completed, it is noted in the portal. She said this is the
extent of what the Division of Elections does for ballot
tracking. She said the idea of instituting something more
robust was tried with the vendor and it was difficult because of
the constraints of Alaska's bandwidth. She said Alaska isn't
robust enough to implement some systems. She said the bill
refers to using post office barcodes, but it is not understood
if the Division can read the barcode due to mailing processes.
4:53:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked about the proposal pertaining to
having early voting 30 days in advance and how it would affect
processes in the division, including other deadlines.
MS. BEECHER responded that by statute the withdrawal date from
the General Election is September 1.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked about primary elections and when they
commence. She said the candidates need to wait for the count in
the primary and only after the count is received will they
consider continued candidacy. She raised concerns regarding
deadlines interfering with one another.
MS. BEECHER responded that she was not sure about the general
election and discussed the dates pertaining to the bill. She
said that given current deadlines, there would not be overlap;
however, the windows proposed under HB 21 would be tight for the
division. She said that there is already a 45-day mandate for
overseas ballots, and it is doable because of the small amount
of these ballots. However, a 30-day change would make things
difficult.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE remarked that some districts need ballots
printed in other languages and asked if these ballots would be
impacted by proposed changes in the bill.
MS. BEECHER responded that yes, they would be impacted but
ballots that require other languages are sample ballots. She
remarked that many ballots can't be structured to accommodate
other languages, and none are used for actual voting.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE remarked that the sample ballot and
standard ballot would then be the same and she could have sought
clarification regarding the printing process. She said she was
trying to understand the time gap with an extension to 30 days.
MS. BEECHER responded that there are hard deadlines set within
the Division of Elections that pertain to translated material
for ballots. She said that she can provide a calendar that
marks working deadlines in a follow-up. She remarked that given
a 30-day window, the challenge for the division would be to get
these things done in a tight window given other concurrent
election objectives.
4:59:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked about the proposed 30-day voting and
if the division has reviewed the fiscal impact that would result
from employing people longer and the feasibility of getting more
employees to accommodate the extension.
MS. BEECHER responded that the division has looked at this and
initially thought that the desire of the drafter was 30 days for
all types of voting. She said the division has received
clarification and the fiscal note would need to be adjusted.
She said that poll workers and election workers are paid $20 an
hour and they usually work 12 hours a day.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked what type of incurred cost the
division would have with regards to notifying the public of the
change.
MS. BEECHER responded that the division has not looked at this
component yet and that advertising and notifications are
expensive. She said the education component is a challenge.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE added that after talking with the
Division, the intent is not to include the absentee in-person
sites. He referred to the fiscal note and the monetary details
pertaining to the additional 15 days.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE referred to the bill's fiscal note and
asked for clarification regarding the 15-day extension and why
the focus is on early voting locations and not all voting
locations. She remarked that her district does not have an
early voting site.
REPRESENATIVE SCHRAGE responded that other expanded access will
be a decision for the committee. He said that the decision to
expand early voting stemmed from the surge in demand for these
areas during the last election cycle. He said if other types of
ballots are included then the division would incur additional
expenses.
5:06:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked if alternative extensions had been
discussed, for example, a 5-day, 10-day, or other extensions
that may not be so impactful.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE responded that the 15-day time-period is
from discussions with the Division of Elections. He remarked
that any extension beyond the proposed 15-days would be too
laborious. He said he was open to discussion and the reason for
implementing this change was a response to wait times and prior
election challenges.
5:09:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK, announced that HB 43 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| CSHB 21 STA Ver N.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 21 HSTA Summary of Changes Ver A-N.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 43 Written Testimony 2-13-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |
| HB 43 Support LTR GOTNV 2-12-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |
| HB 21 Written Testimony 2-13-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 21 |
| HB 43 Support LTR Muni of Anchorage 2-12-25.pdf |
HSTA 2/13/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |