03/25/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB43 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 25, 2025
3:19 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ashley Carrick, Chair
Representative Andi Story, Vice Chair
Representative Rebecca Himschoot
Representative Ky Holland
Representative Kevin McCabe
Representative Elexie Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Sarah Vance
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
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."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 104
"An Act creating and relating to the address confidentiality
program; and providing for an effective date."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 43
SHORT TITLE: ELECTIONS, VOTING, BALLOTS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SCHRAGE
01/22/25 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/25
01/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/25 (H) STA, FIN
02/11/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/11/25 (H) Heard & Held
02/11/25 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/13/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/13/25 (H) Heard & Held
02/13/25 (H) MINUTE(STA)
03/11/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
03/11/25 (H) Heard & Held
03/11/25 (H) MINUTE(STA)
03/25/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
AMANDA NDEMO, Staff
Representative Carl Schrage
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the amendment
process for HB 43, Version I, on behalf of Representative
Schrage, prime sponsor.
CAROL BEECHER, Director
Permanent Fund Dividend Division
Department of Revenue
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions during the amendment
process for HB 43, Version I.
BOB BALLINGER, Staff
Representative Sarah Vance
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during amendment
discussion of HB 43, Version I, on behalf of Representative
Vance, whose amendments were offered by Representative McCabe in
her absence.
MICHAELA THOMPSON, Operations Manager
Division of Elections
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the amendment
process for HB 43, Version I.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:19:33 PM
CHAIR CARRICK called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:19 p.m. Representatives McCabe, Moore,
Holland, Himschoot, Story, and Carrick were present at the call
to order.
HB 43-ELECTIONS, VOTING, BALLOTS
3:20:31 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the only 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." [Before the
committee, adopted as a working document on 3/11/25, was the
proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 43, Version 34-
LS0231\I, Dunmire, 3/10/25 ("Version I").]
3:21:28 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the committee would entertain
amendments.
3:21:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.1, Dunmire, 3/17/25, which read
as follows:
Page 3, line 25, following "supply":
Insert "proof of residency and"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:22:11 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:22 p.m.
3:22:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 1. He explained that
the proposed amendment would add a simple but important
safeguard to the voter registration process, specifically for
those who register within 30 days of the election. He said the
current proposed bill structure would only require a written
affirmation of residency when voting. He said that the proposed
amendment would require proof of residency. He said this is a
common-sense conservative measure that would not be burdensome.
He discussed the ways that Alaskans could illustrate residency.
He remarked that adding this requirement was especially
important close to election day, a time when the Division of
Elections (DOE) has limited time to verify eligibility and
proper documentation would give election workers confidence that
every late registration is legitimate and verifiable. It guards
against potential fraud and unintentional registration errors
preceding the election.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE explained that the proposed amendment was
not about "making it harder to vote" but ensuring that voters
are truly eligible in their respective precinct.
3:25:21 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked for clarification into the current process
used to validate documentation for proof of residency. She
raised concerns about how that process would work and welcomed
committee discussion.
3:25:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND raised concerns about moving prior to an
election and challenges when trying to get documentation to
affirm residency. He said that he appreciated the intent of the
proposed amendment but believed it may cause a burden for
somebody who recently relocated. He believed the amendment
might keep eligible voters from casting ballots.
3:26:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE responded that as a former military member
he had moved around 17 times in 20 years. He said that often
the first thing he needed to purchase following relocation was
electricity and by doing so it would generate a receipt. He
said that this receipt was adequate documentation for
establishing residency. He said it is not as difficult as one
might think and noted that even a Post Office (PO) box would
require residency verification.
3:27:47 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 1. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 1 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:28:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [2] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.2, Dunmire, 3/17/25, which read
as follows:
Page 3, line 30, through page 4, line 16:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
3:28:42 PM
CHAIR CARRICK objected for purpose of discussion.
3:28:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE explained that Amendment 2 would remove
the provision in the bill that would require DOE to accept
electronic signatures for voter registration forms submitted by
mail, fax, or electronic transmission. He said that while
electronic signatures have good intentions for voter
accessibility, this change would introduce real security
concerns. Requiring a physical or wet signature would ensure
stronger voter verification. He said that physical signatures
are harder to forge and easier to match to official records when
needed. He said that electronic signatures were more vulnerable
to problems and harder to authenticate. He said that preserving
this safeguard would help maintain public trust in our system.
He said that voters expect strong and transparent processes
regarding voting eligibility.
3:30:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND commented on frequent use of electronic
signatures for home mortgages, refinancing or even vehicle
documents. He said that he appreciates the intent of Amendment
2, however he believed it was essential to accommodate voters
with the same type of electronic signatures they may have
already used. He felt electronic signature accommodations were
essential for rural Alaskans, who may have challenges mailing
physical signatures. He could not offer support for the
proposed amendment.
3:31:56 PM
AMANDA NDEMO, Staff, Representative Carl Schrage, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Schrage, prime sponsor
of HB 43, remarked that the intent was to keep electronic
signatures. She remarked on security advancements regarding
electronic signature authentication.
3:32:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE affirmed that there were advancements in
electronic signature security but unfortunately the State of
Alaska (SOA) had not embraced them. He said that many of the
electronic signatures he uses also require face recognition. He
understood others even use blockchain computer technology and
these additional security details were not used in Alaska. He
raised concerns about electronic signatures, and that they may
not be appropriate at this time.
3:33:17 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
3:33:19 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 2. Representatives Story, Holland,
Himschoot, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 2
failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:34:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [3] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.3, Dunmire, 3/17/25, which read
as follows:
Page 4, line 17, through page 5, line 3:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for purpose of discussion.
3:34:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE explained that Amendment 3 would remove
the provision from the bill that would have allowed individuals
who submit incomplete or untimely voter registration forms to
still cast a ballot in elections, specifically in an absentee,
special needs, or question ballot. He reiterated that SOA
elections rely on order, predictability, and fairness. He said
this is why there are registration deadlines; to ensure each
voter is properly verified before voting. He said that the
provision would create an exception. He said that it undermines
the integrity of the registration system and puts unnecessary
pressure on election officials. He opined that a message needed
to be sent to voters that deadlines matter and every voter is
responsible for registration. He said that Amendment 3 would
uphold this principle and ensure that only qualified and timely
registered Alaskans can vote in an election, without exception.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that Amendment 3 would also help
eliminate confusion at the polls and protect the integrity of
the voter roll by closing potential loopholes. He concluded by
saying that the proposed amendment was about maintaining a fair
and orderly election.
3:36:14 PM
CHAIR CARRICK remarked that she understood that there were some
policy differences regarding various provisions in HB 43. She
offered her understanding that if the legislation established a
process where an individual might be able to contact the
division and have a ballot curing process, it would be
unreasonable to not allow votes for reasonable and small
mistakes on registration forms. She did not support the
exclusion of this provision in HB 43 and did not support the
proposed amendment.
3:37:41 PM
MS. NDEMO expressed support for Chair Carrick's remarks.
3:38:05 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 3. Representatives Himschoot,
Story, Holland, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 3 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:38:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [4] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.4, Dunmire, 3/17/25, which read
as follows:
Page 5, lines 4 - 17:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:38:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE explained that Amendment 4 would remove
language in the bill that would have allowed same-day voter
registration. He said this meant that someone could register to
vote on election day and still cast a ballot, including an
absentee, in-person, special needs, or question ballot. He said
that the proposed amendment would reinforce Alaska's long-
standing voter registration deadline of thirty days before an
election. He said it would ensure that voter rolls would be
complete and accurate prior to ballots being cast. He said that
allowing same-day registration sounds convenient, but it opens
the door to impropriety, especially when election workers are
already t maximum capacity. He cautioned that rushing the
process could increase the chance of mistakes or even fraud.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE reiterated that it is important to protect
election integrity. He said that same-day registration would
create a two-tiered system, one for those who registered on time
and another for those who did not. He raised concerns that this
would undermine trust in the voting process. He said that the
proposed amendment would not make it harder to vote; it would
simply reinforce the importance of being prepared and
registering in a timely manner as other Alaskans do.
3:40:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY remarked that she was opposed to Amendment
4. She remarked on same-day registration availability with
presidential elections and opined that Alaskans should afford
the same privileges for state elections.
3:41:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND remarked that the current bill language
clarifies that the person is voting only an absentee, in-person,
special needs, or question ballot and SOA would have controls to
what ballot would be used. This control would help with any
questions or traceability concerns of the voter. He was opposed
to the proposed amendment.
3:42:35 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
3:43:00 PM
CHAIR CARRICK voided the initial roll call vote begun and ask
the secretary to start over.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 4. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 4 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:43:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment 5 to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.5, Dunmire, 3/18/25, which read
as follows:
Page 5, following line 29:
Insert new bill sections to read:
"* Sec. 8. AS 15.07.070(i) is amended to read:
(i) The division may [SHALL] register voters or
update information for voters who indicate on [SUBMIT]
an application to receive a permanent fund dividend
submitted in accordance with (j) - (m) of this section
that the voter wants to register to vote or update the
voter's information.
* Sec. 9. AS 15.07.070(j) is amended to read:
(j) The division shall cooperate with the
Department of Revenue under AS 43.23.101 to ensure
that the permanent fund dividend application form
furnished by the Department of Revenue under
AS 43.23.015 allows an applicant, a person who is
designated in a power of attorney to act on behalf of
an applicant, or a person acting on behalf of a
physically disabled applicant to submit voter
registration information required under
AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9), and an
attestation that such information is true. The
director may require proof of identification of the
applicant, if not already in the Department of
Revenue's possession, as required by regulations
adopted by the director under AS 44.62 (Administrative
Procedure Act). Voter information obtained from the
Department of Revenue may not be added to the master
register before the division has determined that the
applicant is eligible to vote.
* Sec. 10. AS 15.07.070(k) is amended to read:
(k) Immediately upon [UPON] receipt of the
registration information, the director shall [, AS
SOON AS PRACTICABLE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SCHEDULE
ESTABLISHED BY THE DIRECTOR BY RULE,] notify by United
States mail and any other means authorized by the
director, each applicant not already registered to
vote at the address provided in the applicant's
application
(1) of the processes to
(A) decline to be registered as a voter;
(B) maintain an existing voter registration
or be newly registered at a valid place of residence
not provided in the applicant's application; and
(C) adopt a political party affiliation;
[AND]
(2) that failure to respond to the
notification shall constitute the applicant's consent
to cancel any registration to vote in another
jurisdiction; and
(3) that the applicant's information must
be verified by the division before the applicant's
name can be placed on the master register.
* Sec. 11. AS 15.07.070(l) is amended to read:
(l) If an applicant does not decline to be
registered as a voter within 30 calendar days after
the director issues the notification, the application
under AS 43.23.015 will constitute a completed
registration form. The name of the applicant shall be
placed on the master register if the director
determines within 30 days after submission of the
registration form that the person is qualified to vote
under AS 15.05.010, and the director shall forward to
the applicant a registration card. If registration is
denied, the applicant shall immediately be informed in
writing that registration was denied, [AND] the reason
for denial, steps the applicant may take to correct
the registration, and contact information for an
employee of the division that can provide assistance
and additional information to the applicant."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 46"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 46"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for purpose of discussion.
3:43:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 5. He said that it
would make important clarifying changes on how voter
registration is handled through the permanent fund dividend
(PFD) application process. He said that Alaskans value both
convenience and integrity in elections and the proposed
amendment helps strike a balance. He said that Amendment 5
would make it clear that registering to vote through the PFD
application is an opt-in process - not automatic. It would
require DOE to register a person only if they indicate that they
want to be registered.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that he was reminded of a specific
instance where Ukrainian refugees in Alaska were eligible for a
PFD but not to vote were surprised to find that they had been
added to the voter roll and could cast a ballot. He said that
Amendment 5 attempts to address this issue. Amendment 5 would
require DOE to verify a person's eligibility before placing them
on the state's voter roll, which Representative McCabe called a
common-sense safeguard to ensure only qualified voters are added
to rolls.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE stated that the proposed amendment would
improve transparency by requiring DOE to notify PFD applicants
who are not registered to voter and provide for remediation.
Furthermore, the amendment would help ensure that Alaskans are
making informed decisions when using their PFD form to update
voter registration, including address changes or even party
details. He said that the proposed amendment was a clean-up
amendment that protects voter choice and enhances election
integrity.
3:45:57 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked whether there would be a fiscal impact
associated with voter roll verification and requiring
verification prior to being added to state voter rolls.
3:46:25 PM
CAROL BEECHER, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division,
Department of Revenue, responded that changes could possibly
incur a programming cost to accommodate the new functions, but
she did not imagine that it would be a lot.
3:47:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked Ms. Beecher whether she could speak
about the steps that were currently taken to review and verify
information that comes from the PFD prior to adding applicants
to state voter rolls.
MS. BEECHER responded that to her understanding, when DOE
receives PFD information, applications are sorted by new
applicants, and they must have noted that they are a U.S.
citizen and 18 years of age or older. She said that after
applicants have been sorted, information is sent to the
applicant.
3:48:56 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection to Amendment 5. She
remarked that voter registration systems tied into the PFD
process have given voting opportunity to a considerable number
of Alaskans. She raised concern that removing this could be a
potential barrier to voting access.
3:49:44 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 5. Representatives Story, Holland,
Himschoot, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 5
failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:50:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [6] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.7, Dunmire, 3/20/25, which read
as follows:
Page 5, following line 29:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 8. AS 15.07.070 is amended by adding new
subsections to read:
(n) The division may use information provided by
the Department of Revenue under AS 43.23.015 and
43.23.101 only to register a voter and conduct voter
roll maintenance. The division may not disclose
personally identifiable information obtained from the
Department of Revenue.
(o) The division, in cooperation with the
Department of Revenue, shall submit an annual report
to the governor and to the senate secretary and chief
clerk of the house of representatives on or before the
first day of each regular session of the legislature
and notify the legislature that the report is
available. The report shall detail
(1) the number of permanent fund dividend
applicant records shared with the division;
(2) the effect that shared permanent fund
dividend applications had on voter roll maintenance
under (n) of this section and on election integrity;
and
(3) security measures taken to protect
voter information.
(p) In this section, "voter roll maintenance"
includes confirming the residency of a registered
voter, identifying duplicate registrations, detecting
voters who have moved, and detecting voters who are
ineligible to vote under AS 15.05."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, following line 8:
Insert new bill sections to read:
"* Sec. 51. AS 43.23.101 is amended to read:
Sec. 43.23.101. Voter registration. Each month,
the [THE] commissioner shall [ESTABLISH BY RULE A
SCHEDULE BY WHICH THE COMMISSIONER WILL PROVIDE, AND
SHALL] provide [AS SOON AS IS PRACTICABLE] the
director of elections with the following information
for each permanent fund dividend applicant:
(1) the electronic record [RECORDS FROM THE
PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND APPLICATIONS] of the
information required by AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and
(7) - (9) [,] and the attestation that the [SUCH]
information is true; [, FOR EACH PERMANENT FUND
DIVIDEND APPLICANT WHO
(A) IS A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES; AND
(B) IS AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE OR WILL BE
WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION; AND]
(2) the applicant's mailing address;
(3) the applicant's affirmation of
residency;
(4) indication of the applicant's voter
registration status, if known; and
(5) whether the applicant has claimed
residency in another state [ADDRESSES FOR ALL
PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND APPLICANTS].
* Sec. 52. AS 43.23.101 is amended by adding new
subsections to read:
(b) The commissioner shall develop security
protocols that ensure data required to be stored or
transferred under this section is securely stored or
transferred.
(c) In cooperation with the division of
elections under AS 15.07.070(o), the commissioner
shall submit an annual report to the governor and to
the senate secretary and chief clerk of the house of
representatives on or before the first day of each
regular session of the legislature and notify the
legislature that the report is available."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 9:
Delete "AS 29.26.050(a)(3) is"
Insert "AS 15.07.064(g) and AS 29.26.050(a)(3)
are"
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 43"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 43"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:50:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 6. He explained that
the proposed amendment would enable the Department of Revenue
(DOR) and the Division of Elections (DOE) to work together more
effectively by using limited PFD application data to help
register voters and maintain a cleaner voter roll. He said that
every year the state collects valuable information from Alaskans
via the PFD process that includes residency status, mailing
addresses, and voter registration preferences. The amendment
would allow that data to be used carefully and securely for
election purposes. It would allow DOE to use the information to
confirm voter eligibility, detect duplicates, and identify
individuals who may have moved or become ineligible to vote.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE remarked that Amendment 6 has strict
safeguards in place. It would prevent the disclosure of
personal information and DOR must use secure protocols to
transmit data. Additionally, both departments must produce an
annual report for the Governor and the Legislature detailing how
the information is used, how it impacts election integrity, and
what security measures are in place.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE remarked that given the previous amendment
proposals, there was concern regarding how PFD's are being
handled for voter registration, and the way data was being
handled. He reminded the committee of the large numbers of
people on the state voter roll that were ineligible to vote. He
concluded by stating that Amendment 6 would strengthen Alaska's
elections and ensure state agencies work together.
3:52:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked whether there was any data and
documented information about the PFD registration process
creating a problem in terms of who is on the voter rolls.
3:53:16 PM
MS. BEECHER, in response to Representative Holland's question,
said that DOE was not aware of individuals that were erroneously
added to voter rolls by the PFD voter registration process.
3:54:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked Ms. Beecher how many "excess" people
were currently registered on voter rolls. He said that he had
heard that it was one of the larger rolls in the nation and
larger than the state population itself; around 111 percent of
the population.
MS. BEECHER said that she took offense to the word "excess" and
to her understanding, the names on the voter rolls were
accurate.
3:54:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND called a point of order. He said that he
did not believe that this dialogue was appropriate in the
committee process and it was a deviation from the discussion on
the proposed amendment.
3:55:27 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:55 p.m. to 3:56 p.m.
3:56:52 PM
MS. BEECHER, in response to a previous question from
Representative McCabe, said that the percentage that he was
citing was from a calculation of how many people are registered
to vote as opposed to how many people live in Alaska. She said
that the percentage was not an accurate reflection since an
individual does not have to live in the state under current law
to be registered to vote. She said that the number of
registered voters compared to individuals living in the state
would have a higher percentage. She said people could live
overseas or even out-of-state with intent to return to be
eligible for voting.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE responded that he was happy that this was
clarified on the record.
3:58:04 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment [6]. Representatives Himschoot,
Story, Holland, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment [6] failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
3:58:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [7] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.8, Dunmire, 3/17/25, which read
as follows:
Page 6, lines 1 - 2:
Delete "an absentee in-person, special needs, or"
Insert "a"
Page 6, lines 4 - 7:
Delete "The division may not reject the absentee
in-person, special needs, or questioned ballot of a
qualified voter who reregisters within 30 days before
or on the day of an election on the grounds that the
voter is not on the official registration list for the
election."
Page 6, line 8, through page 7, line 4:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 40"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 40"
3:58:52 PM
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 7. He said that it
would remove language from HB 43 that would allow same-day voter
registration, which would allow someone to register on the same
day of elections and cast a ballot. He said that allowing same-
day registration seems convenient, but it opens the door to
rushed processing, increased administrative pressure on election
workers, and potential challenges in verifying voter
eligibility. He said that Alaska has long required that voters
register at least thirty days before an election and it has
given election officials the time needed to confirm voter
identity, residency, and eligibility. He said the proposed
amendment promotes fairness and that every voter should play by
the same set of rules. Making an exception for late registrants
creates a two-tiered system; one for those who plan and another
for those who wait till the last minute. He concluded by
remarking that Amendment 7 would help protect election
integrity.
4:00:03 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked for clarification on whether Amendment 7
would delete the sections of HB 43 that allow same-day
registration and whether this was the intent. She said this may
be a good question for the amendment sponsors staff.
4:00:58 PM
BOB BALLINGER, Staff, Representative Sarah Vance, Alaska State
Legislature, in response to Chair Carrick, confirmed that under
Amendment 7, if transferring into another district it would
require being in that district for 30 days. He said if this
language was adopted there would not be same day registration.
4:02:06 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
4:02:37 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 7. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 7 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:03:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE noted in the last hour, President Trump
signed an executive order to protect the integrity of elections
in the United States. He said that the order strengthens voter
citizenship verification and bans foreign nationals from
interfering in elections. It requires voter-verifiable paper
ballots and not ballots which the counted vote is contained
within a bar code or QQR code. He said that failure to comply
with these federal directives could result in a loss of federal
funding to support Alaska elections. He remarked that many of
the proposed amendments have been trying to match federal
directive. He noted that the executive order is two pages long.
4:04:34 PM
CHAIR CARRICK noted that many recent Executive Orders have been
tied up in court and may not be immediately relevant.
4:05:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [8] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.9, Dunmire, 3/18/25, which read
as follows:
Page 7, line 6:
Delete "Periodically, at times of the director's
choosing, but not [NO] less frequently than"
Insert "Quarterly, beginning [PERIODICALLY, AT
TIMES OF THE DIRECTOR'S CHOOSING, BUT NO LESS
FREQUENTLY THAN]"
Page 7, line 18:
Delete "two general elections"
Insert "[TWO] general election [ELECTIONS]"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for purpose of discussion.
4:05:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 8. He said the
proposed amendment would strengthen the review and cleanup of
Alaska's voter rolls with two important changes to Alaska
Statute (AS). First, it changes the timeline for reviewing
Alaska's voter registration database. Instead of reviewing the
database every two years, it would be conducted quarterly. The
second change proposed in the amendment would allow DOE to
remove voters from the rolls after missing one general election
and failing to respond to a confirmation notice, rather than
waiting for two missed elections. He opined that this would be
a more timely and effective approach.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE explained that both changes would ensure
that voter rolls are current, accurate, and secure. The
proposed amendment would reduce administrative waste and help
election officials focus on serving eligible individuals.
4:06:52 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked Ms. Beecher what the potential cost might be
to implement quarterly reviews of the voter registration
database.
4:07:13 PM
MS. BEECHER responded that DOE conducts mandated list
maintenance annually. Furthermore, she said that DOE is
continuously updating and maintaining their voter rolls based on
information that DOE receives. She could not approximate the
cost of implementing quarterly reviews but suspected it may have
costs associated with mailing notices and voting cards.
4:08:10 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked for clarification that the current
legislation would require annual reviews, and the proposed
amendment would require four quarterly reviews.
MS. BEECHER responded that this was a correct understanding of
the proposed amendment.
4:08:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked Ms. Beecher how much staffing
power it would take to conduct quarterly reviews.
MS. BEECHER directed the question to Michaela Thompson.
4:08:59 PM
MICHAELA THOMPSON, Operations Manager, Division of Elections,
Office of the Lieutenant Governor, responded that there are
steps that are required to conduct reviews. She said that it
would require additional work to process mailing lists more
frequently and keeping track of the different mailers.
4:10:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked when conducting annual reviews
whether there was anything that might be improved to conduct
reviews more frequently.
MS. BEECHER directed the question to Ms. Thompson.
MS. THOMPSON responded that DOE could get responses from
maintenance mailers and DOE was working on the voter list all
throughout the year. She said that she did not have any
statistics readily available.
4:11:27 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 8. Representatives Holland, Story,
and Carrick voted against it. Therefore, Amendment [8] failed
to be adopted by a vote of 2-3.
4:12:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [9] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.10, Dunmire, 3/18/25, which read
as follows:
Page 10, line 4:
Delete "At each polling place"
Insert "If requested"
Page 10, lines 9 - 15:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
4:12:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 9. He said that the
proposed amendment would address two distinct, but important
issues related to how elections are administered. First, it
would change the requirement for language assistance at polling
places. Rather than mandating bilingual materials and support
at every location, the amendment would allow those services to
be provided if requested. This would ensure that voting needs
are still being met while being responsible with their staffing
and resources. Second, the amendment would remove a provisions
that would allow a person who votes a question ballot to still
retain and return their absentee ballot. This creates the
potential for confusion or abuse by allowing someone to submit
two ballots in the same election. The proposed amendment would
reinforce the notion of "one vote, one ballot" and ensure that
the voting system is clean and consistent. Together the changes
would ensure a more secure and cost-effective election process
while still meeting the needs of Alaskan voters.
4:13:18 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked Mr. Ballinger, at what time in the voting
process is it envisioned that a voter would request the language
assistance.
MR. BALLINGER responded that he did not know what the timeline
may be but there is a federal law that requires certain
languages to be included. He believed there are around thirteen
different languages that are required for elections. He said
the intent of the amendment is to maintain the standard but not
be required to provide the material at every polling place when
it may not be warranted.
4:14:41 PM
MS. NDEMO asked whether there would be any changes to how a non-
English speaker might request a ballot.
MS. BEECHER responded that current language requirements were
subject to federal law. This law determines what languages are
required for every state and their specific regions. This is
based on federal formula that is used to determine which
languages are required and where they are required. She said
that currently the state is required to do about four languages
and there were additional languages pursuant to a court case.
She said that languages are specific to regions where there was
limited English proficiency. She said that language assistance
was not currently required across the entire state.
4:16:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY commented that she was not in support of
removing language assistance from polling locations.
4:17:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND commented that he would like to keep
language assistance as well.
4:17:48 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection to Amendment 9.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives McCabe and Moore
voted in favor of Amendment [9]. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment [9] failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:18:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [10] to HB 43,
Version I, labeled 34-LS0231\I.11, Dunmire, 3/18/25, which read
as follows:
Page 11, line 25:
Delete "with the assistance"
Insert "under [WITH] the observance [ASSISTANCE]"
Page 11, line 28:
Delete "assist"
Insert "observe"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 10. He said the
proposed amendment would make a small but important change to
clarify the role of election observers doing ballot counting.
Under current language observers are described as assisting
election officials and this language could be interpreted to
mean they are actively engaged in handling ballots. It would
make it clear that observers are there to watch and not handle
ballots, or take part in counting. The proposed amendment would
protect the chain of custody for Alaska's ballots and ensure
that only trained election workers are involved in the
tabulation process by defining those roles in AS. He explained
that this was a straightforward amendment that strengthens
public trust by reinforcing best practices in election
integrity.
4:19:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked for clarification to what
"assist" means and whether it could involve a hands-on roll when
handling ballots.
MS. BEECHER responded that DOE interprets "assist" to mean
observe.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT offered her understanding that the
actual practice is to observe.
MS. BEECHER confirmed that is correct.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT surmised that given Amendment 5,
nothing would change but the definitions would be made clearer.
MS. BEECHER confirmed that is correct.
4:20:32 PM
CHAIR CARRICK removed her objection to Amendment 10. There
being no further objection, Amendment 10 was adopted.
4:20:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment 11 to HB 43,
Version I, as amended, labeled 34-LS0231\I.12, Dunmire, 3/18/25,
which read as follows:
Page 12, line 1, following "absentee":
Insert ", special needs,"
Page 12, line 7:
Delete "may"
Insert "shall"
Page 14, line 19:
Delete "30th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 14, line 20:
Delete "and including"
Insert "the fifth day before [AND INCLUDING]"
Page 14, line 21:
Delete "30th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 14, line 24:
Delete "30th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 14, following line 26:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 32. AS 15.20.072(c) is amended to read:
(c) If the request for a special needs ballot is
made through a representative, the representative
shall sign a register provided by an election
official. The representative must be a family member,
legal guardian, or caregiver of the voter and may not
serve as a representative to more than five voters in
an election. The register must include the following
information:
(1) the representative's name;
(2) the representative's residence and
mailing address;
(3) the representative's social security
number, voter identification number, or date of birth;
(4) the name of the voter on whose behalf
the representative is requesting a ballot and voting
materials;
(5) an oath that the representative
(A) is receiving a ballot and voting
materials on behalf of the voter;
(B) will not vote the ballot for the voter;
(C) will not coerce or materially interfere
with the voter;
(D) will not represent more than five
voters for the current election;
(E) will not divulge the vote cast by the
voter; and
(F) [(E)] has been notified that unlawful
interference with voting is punishable under
AS 15.56.030 and 15.56.035;
(6) the representative's signature."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 14, lines 28 - 31:
Delete all material and insert:
"(h) The division may not reject a voter's
special needs ballot based on an error made by an
election official or representative on the register
under (c) of this section or an error made by a
representative under (d) of this section if the voter
cures the error under AS 15.20.222."
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 43"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 43"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 11. He said the
proposed amendment provides essential updates to the special
needs voting process, updates that protect both the voter and
the integrity of the election. First, it would ensure that the
ballot curing process originally designed for absentee ballots
also apply to special needs ballots. Second, it would tighten
the rules for those who can serve as a representative for
special needs voters, requiring them to be a family member or
guardian, not just anyone. It would also place a cap on how
many times a representative can sign-off on special needs
ballots to five per election. Furthermore, it would require a
signed oath to prevent voter coercion or interference. He said
this would make elections more transparent and trustworthy.
Lastly, the amendment would resolve inconsistencies in ballot
curing deadlines by aligning the state with a 15-day mark to
ensure clarity for voters and election officials. He said that
without this amendment the state cannot provide the same level
of ballot curing across the board.
4:22:54 PM
CHAIR CARRICK remarked that she liked the sections of the
proposed amendment that amend the audit procedures and require
that special needs ballots are included in audits. She opined
that it seemed to be a reasonable provision, and the adoption of
other additional audit procedures seemed to have good
intentions. She said that the time frame concerned her
regarding implementing these procedures.
4:23:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said that she was concerned with limiting
the eligible representatives for special needs ballots. She
said that in many places in Alaska, a family member may not be
able to serve as a representative.
4:24:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that anybody with special needs would
likely have a caregiver, whether it was family or someone that
cares for them on a regular schedule. He remarked that one of
his friends has about 5 different Veteran Affairs (VA) patients
that they take care of throughout a week, as a caregiver.
4:25:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY recalled a woman in late pregnancy, who
received a special needs ballot. She recalled that she was a
single mom and did not have any family around. She said there
are other circumstances when using these ballots that may not be
fully considered. She expressed hesitation given the adoption
of changes to special needs ballots.
4:25:52 PM
CHAIR CARRICK remarked that if a caregiver had six patients, the
current language in the bill would only allow voting
representation for five individuals. She expressed concern that
the cap might be a challenge for individuals.
4:26:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked Ms. Beecher whether the timeline
for requesting a special needs ballot at 15 days was enough for
the DOE to make accommodation for the voter.
MS. BEECHER responded that the timeframe for getting ballots
ready can be an issue for DOE. She said that getting ballots to
different locations in the state and allowing them to have
ballots on time was a division goal. She remarked that
preparing, shipping, and receiving all the ballots was a
logistical issue for the division.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said it would be a challenge to have
ballots prepared thirty days in advance.
MS. BEECHER responded that this was correct. To have a ballot
prepared there was a specific timeframe between the primary and
general election. She said that candidates that withdraw can
create challenges for preparing ballots.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether there was any feedback
that any special needs voters had struggled with the fifteen-day
deadline. She said that convenience for the DOE was one thing,
but meeting voter needs was another.
4:29:24 PM
MS. THOMPSON responded that she was not aware of any specific
instances of challenges with special needs ballots and the
timeline. She said a thirty-day option was not available and
there was an absentee application process that may require an
individual to have a ballot earlier than fifteen days before an
election.
4:30:09 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection because of the special
needs ballots language.
4:30:36 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment 11. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 11 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:31:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [12] to HB 43,
Version I, as amended, labeled 34-LS0231\I.13, Dunmire, 3/18/25,
which read as follows:
Page 13, line 9:
Delete "30th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 13, line 9:
Delete "and including"
Insert "five days before [AND INCLUDING]"
Page 14, line 4:
Delete "20th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 14, line 5:
Delete "and including"
Insert "five days before [AND INCLUDING]"
Page 14, line 10:
Delete "20 [15]"
Insert "15"
Delete "on"
Insert "up to five days before [ON]"
Page 14, line 24:
Delete "30th [15TH]"
Insert "15th"
Page 14, line 25:
Delete "and including"
Insert "five days before [AND INCLUDING]"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of objection.
4:31:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 12. He said the
proposed amendment addresses the early voting timeline to create
a more secure and efficient election process. First, it would
reduce the early voting period from thirty days prior to an
election to fifteen days prior to an election. He said this was
still plenty of time for Alaskans to cast a ballot in advance
and would reduce the work window for election staff. Second is
that it would establish a five-day pause between the close of
early voting and election day. This window would allow DOE to
finalize preparations, review voter rolls, organize ballots, and
ensure precincts are ready for elections. By changing the
timeline, the proposed amendment would prevent errors, improve
ballot security, and give election officials time needed to
perform well.
4:32:27 PM
CHAIR CARRICK noted that the current Committee Substitute (CS)
[current version of HB 43] had brought the original bill
sponsors language from thirty days to twenty days for early
voting. She considered this adequate "middle ground" for
accommodating early voting. She said that her precinct of
Fairbanks had considerable early voting interest. She said many
people perceive election day as having waiting times and delays
to cast a ballot. She did not think that "walking back" to the
status quo was necessary given interest in early voting.
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
4:33:50 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment [12]. Representatives Story,
Holland, Himschoot, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment [12] failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:34:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [13] to HB 43,
Version I, as amended, labeled 34-LS0231\I.14, Dunmire, 3/17/25,
which read as follows:
Page 16, lines 18 - 27:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
4:34:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 13. He explained that
the proposed amendment would remove a provision that would have
allowed absentee ballots to be counted before the close of polls
on election day. He said that he appreciates the intent to
speed up election reporting, however, he opined that this
approach creates risk to election security and public
confidence. Counting ballots early, even if totals are not yet
released can lead to leaks, speculation, or even strategic
manipulation of voter turnout that undermines faith in the
voting process. The amendment would ensure that all ballots,
absentee or otherwise, are counted only after polls close. He
said this is the voting standard.
4:35:34 PM
CHAIR CARRICK said that the proposed bill language was included
partially due to the request from many constituents from her
district who were concerned about the long time to get voting
results after polls close. She did not offer support for
Amendment 13.
4:36:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that one thing that has bothered him
about Alaska elections, specifically presidential elections, was
that everybody reports in. This included New Hampshire,
Illinois and even Iowa. He said some people look at the reports
and question whether going to the polls is worth it. It has
created an "artificial pressure" with people going to vote whom
suspect they already know the results. He opined that this was
an issue and did not want to see it take place in local
elections.
CHAIR CARRICK said that results would not be released until the
polls are closed. She did not see Representative McCabe's
concerns are valid and comparable.
4:39:09 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment [13]. Representatives Himschoot,
Story, Holland, Carrick voted against it. Therefore, Amendment
[13] failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:39:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [14] to HB 43,
Version I, as amended, labeled 34-LS0231\I.15, Dunmire, 3/18/25,
which read as follows:
Page 16, line 29, through page 18, line 14:
Delete all material and insert:
"(b) An absentee ballot must be rejected [MAY
NOT BE COUNTED] if
(1) the voter has failed to properly
execute the certificate;
(2) [AN OFFICIAL OR THE WITNESSES
AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO ATTEST THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE
FAIL TO EXECUTE THE CERTIFICATE, EXCEPT THAT AN
ABSENTEE BALLOT CAST IN PERSON AND ACCEPTED BY AN
ABSENTEE VOTING OFFICIAL OR ELECTION SUPERVISOR MAY BE
COUNTED DESPITE FAILURE OF THE ABSENTEE VOTING
OFFICIAL OR ELECTION SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY SIGN AND
DATE THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE AS ATTESTING OFFICIAL AS
REQUIRED UNDER AS 15.20.061(c);
(3) THE BALLOT IS NOT ATTESTED ON OR BEFORE
THE DATE OF THE ELECTION;
(4)] the ballot envelope and certificate,
if delivered by mail after the day of the election
[POSTMARKED],
(A) is not postmarked or is postmarked
after [ON OR BEFORE] the date of the election and is
not marked with a United States Postal Service
tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the ballot
was mailed on or before the day of the election or
with a division of elections ballot tracking barcode
sufficient to verify that the ballot was mailed on or
before the day of the election;
(B) has a United States Postal Service
tracking barcode verifying that the ballot was mailed
after the date of the election or a division of
elections ballot tracking barcode verifying that the
ballot was mailed after the date of the election; or
(C) is executed after the date of the
election;
(3) [(5)] after the day of election, the
ballot was delivered by a means other than mail;
(4) [OR (6)] the voter voted
(A) in person and is a
(i) first-time voter who initially
registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic
transmission approved by the director under
AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification
required by AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for
waiver of the identification requirement under
AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the identifiers
required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be
verified through state agency records described in
AS 15.07.055(e); or
(ii) voter other than one described in (i)
of this subparagraph, did not provide identification
described in AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known
by the election official, and has not provided the
identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3); or
(B) by mail or electronic transmission, is
a first-time voter who initially registered by mail or
by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved
by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not
met the identification requirements set out in
AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with the ballot a
copy of a
(i) driver's license, state identification
card, current and valid photo identification, birth
certificate, passport, or identification card issued
by a federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR FISHING
LICENSE]; or
(ii) current utility bill, bank statement,
paycheck, government check, or other government
document; an item described in this sub-subparagraph
must show the name and current address of the voter
and be dated within 45 days of receipt of the absentee
ballot; or
(5) the voter did not vote absentee in person and the
signature on the certificate is inconsistent with the
voter's signature in voter registration records."
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
4:39:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 14. The proposed
amendment would provide a through cleanup and clarification of
Alaska's voter identification and absentee ballot procedures.
It would lay out clear, enforceable reasons why an absentee
ballot must be rejected, whether it was a missing signature,
late postmark or lack of identification (ID) for a first-time
voter. These changes help ensure that every ballot counted
meets the legal standards that have been set in the state. He
said that it would strengthen voter ID requirements,
particularly for those voting by mail or electronically for the
first time. These voters must provide appropriate documentation
to confirm identity much like voting in person. He said that
the proposed amendment would also remove ambiguity in law,
instead of stating that a ballot "may be counted" it would now
say "it must be rejected" when clear violations occur. He said
it would give election officials clear directive to uphold the
law fairly and consistently.
4:41:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked whether postal service barcode
tracking was available throughout Alaska and whether this
included rural U.S. Post Offices.
MS. BEECHER responded that it was not possible for United States
Postal Service (USPS) barcodes to be read in rural areas. She
noted that there was only one central mail processing facility
in the state and it is in Anchorage. Additionally, there was a
smaller processing facility to read barcodes in Juneau.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked whether rural post offices could
apply the bar code at the time of mailing and not necessarily
whether they could read the codes or not.
MS. BEECHER responded that rural post offices did not have the
ability to apply tracking bar codes to mail.
4:42:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked for clarification about whether the
barcodes were already attached to envelopes.
MS. BEECHER responded that the bar codes are attached to the
Anchorage postal facility.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE remarked that his printer could print bar
codes on an envelope and said that he was curious about whether
there were bar codes on envelopes used by DOE. He remarked that
one of his constituents had found a red bag on the side of the
road that had ballot materials from one of the villages, it was
reported that there was a bar code on the bag.
MS. BEECHER said that Ms. Thompson could describe the process
better.
4:44:13 PM
MS. THOMPSON responded that DOE uses flat envelopes to send in
the mail and currently prints an outgoing barcode on the
envelope near the voters information. She said that DOE can use
that information to track the voters ballots using the USPS
system. She noted that that the polling places use a different
type of mail than absentee ballots which go through bulk mail.
4:45:35 PM
CHAIR CARRICK remarked that the proposed bill as currently
written would remove the witness signature requirement. She
said that given previous discussions, the witness signature was
meaningless without DOE verification. She said that Amendment
14 would require the same voter signature on both the ballot and
the registration.
CHAIR CARRICK asked that since DOE does not verify witness
signatures whether there would be an additional workload to
verify signatures on both a voter registration and a ballot.
Second, she asked whether DOE would know if two signatures were
simply different in appearance or subject to impropriety.
MS. BEECHER responded that witness signatures are implicated by
law and falsifying this information would break the law by
committing perjury. She compared witness signatures to oaths
taken by legislators. She said that there is an underlying
assumption that people would do this correctly even without a
verification process. She said that the DOE does not currently
have the equipment or training to validate signatures.
4:49:16 PM
CHAIR CARRICK asked whether Ms. Beecher knew what the workload
would look like if DOE was to cross-compare signatures.
MS. BEECHER responded that it would require witness verification
training and possibly require additional equipment.
4:49:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said to his understanding the proposed
amendment pertains to missing signatures and not just
unverifiable signatures. He said that nobody would expect the
DOE to compare every signature for anomalies. He said that Mr.
Ballinger may be able to speak to the amendment more.
4:50:46 PM
MR. BALLINGER said that the conversation of signature
verification took place and the expense associated with it would
be too much. The amendment would simply require a witness
signature. He said that the amendment was not a substantial
amount of additional language but placing some previous voting
requirements back into the proposed bill.
4:51:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE clarified that all the amendment would do
is require the inclusion of a witness signature.
MR. BALLINGER commented that this was the correct understanding
of the proposed amendment. He said that voters would still have
an opportunity to cure the ballot if a witness signature was not
included.
4:52:21 PM
CHAIR CARRICK maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Moore and McCabe
voted in favor of Amendment [14]. Representatives Holland,
Himschoot, Story, and Carrick voted against it. Therefore,
Amendment 14 failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-4.
4:53:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE moved to adopt Amendment [15] to HB 43,
Version I, as amended, labeled 34-LS0231\I.16, Dunmire, 3/17/25,
which read as follows:
Page 19, line 20, through page 20, line 3:
Delete all material.
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 23, line 12:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
Page 23, line 13:
Delete "sec. 42"
Insert "sec. 41"
4:53:13 PM
CHAIR CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE spoke to Amendment 15. He said that it
would remove language from the bill that would authorize the use
of ballot drop boxes in Alaska. He said that while they appear
convenient, they have increasingly become a source of concern
for both election officials and the public. He said that ballot
drop boxes increase the risk of ballot tampering and erode
confidence in the voting process. The amendment would ensure
that ballots are returned through more secure verifiable methods
either by-mail or in person at official polling locations where
proper oversight exists. He said it would also reduce strain on
election officials by reducing the logistical and security
measures taken to deploy the drop boxes. He concluded by
commenting that Alaskans deserve to know that every ballot is
handled securely and lawfully.
4:54:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND commented that he appreciated being able
to find drop boxes and he was reluctant to see them removed
given the proposed amendment. He was curious whether the drop
boxes would still be allowed given the amendments language. He
said that it seems as if the amendment would create a mandate to
drop box use. He asked whether pre-existing drop boxes could
still exist at the discretion of DOE.
CHAIR CARRICK believed that this amendment would not change
Anchorage's drop boxes for municipal races or for a municipality
to adopt drop boxes.
MS. BEECHER said currently the division does not have drop
boxes. She said that boxes were borrowed for the 2020 election
cycle for the purposes of election support during the Covid-19
pandemic. She said that the bill would not impact the division,
and she did not believe that DOE would be precluded. She said
that given the postage paid return envelopes for absentee
voters, the post office may be more convenient than a drop box.
4:56:16 PM
CHAIR CARRICK said that she supported Amendment 15 because of
the inclusion in legislation of pre-paid postage. It would
essentially give voters all the tools they need to return
ballots. She said that there is some interest in specific
communities given the inclusion of drop boxes, including
Anchorage.
4:57:17 PM
CHAIR CARRICK removed her objection to Amendment 15. There
being no further objection, Amendment 15 was adopted.
4:57:51 PM
CHAIR CARRICK announced that HB 43, Version I, as amended, was
held over.
4:58:37 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 4:58
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 43 Amendment Packet HSTA.pdf |
HSTA 3/25/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |
| CHSB43 Sectional Analysis Ver I.pdf |
HSTA 3/25/2025 3:15:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| CSHB43 Ver G -- Includes Adopted Amendments.pdf |
HSTA 3/25/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 43 |