Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/09/2023 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Division of Elections Response to Questions About Elections | |
| SJR6 | |
| SB1 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SJR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 1-ELECTIONS: BALLOT, VOTING, SECURITY
4:49:38 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 1 "An Act relating to election
security, voting, and ballots; and providing for an effective
date."
He noted that this was a continuation of the introduction of the
bill.
4:50:21 PM
SCOTT OGAN, Staff, Senator Mike Shower, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis
for SB 1 on behalf of the sponsor.
Section 1. Amends AS 15.15.030 to add a new paragraph
that provides an official ballot must contain a
watermark seal or other security identifier to include
an election official signature.
Section 2. Amends AS 15.15 by adding new sections that
mandate that the director shall adopt a regulation
providing for ballot security and chain of custody.
Requires a redundant secure and sealed system that
accounts for the location and entity that has custody
of a ballot or record, from the printer until 22
months after the applicable election is certified.
Maintains strict physical chain of custody protocols,
utilizing a barcode or other sufficient system.
Requires periodic updates to incorporate best practice
chain of custody protocols.
Requires all ballots sent out to be returned to an
approved location, to preserve the forensic integrity
of the ballots.
Establishes an election offense hotline. Requires the
director to ensure that the hotline is continuously
staffed during the hours that absentee voting stations
are open, during the hours that an early voting
location is open, and 24 hours after the polls open,
and daily until all election results are certified.
Section 3. Amends AS 15.15.060 by adding a new
subsection requiring the director to post the election
hotline notices in a conspicuous place at the polls.
Section 4. Amends AS 15.15.250 by requiring that the
ballots will be required to be voided and secured to
maintain forensic evidence and strict chain of custody
of all ballots.
Section 5. Amends 15.20.020 authorizing the director
with administrative supervision authority to implement
the use of online multi factor authentication system
for tracking absentee ballots.
4:53:14 PM
Section 6. Amends 15.20.064 by adding a new subsection
modifying early voting requirements to allow an
absentee voter to vote a question ballot if they do
not have sufficient proof of residency identification.
The election board and candidates will have the
opportunity to sufficiently determine if the voter was
qualified to vote.
Section 7. Amends 15.20.081(e) to provide that a
ballot received after the day of the election that is
not postmarked or is postmarked after the day of the
election may not be counted unless the ballot envelope
is marked with the United States Postal Service
tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the ballot
was mailed on or before the day of the election.
Section 8. Amends 15.20.203(b) to close a loophole
that allowed a ballot to be counted despite the
failure of an absentee voting official or election
supervisor to properly sign and date the voters
certificate as an official required under 15.20.061.
This section requires a United States Postal Service
tracking barcode sufficient to verify that the battle
was mailed on or before the day of the election.
Section 9. Amends 15.20.220(b) by authorizing the
state review board to review and count absentee
ballots if the ballots have been properly cured.
Refers to the new section 15.20.222 that sets up the
procedure for curing uncounted ballots.
Section 10. Amends 15.20.221 by adding a new section
that mandate the director to establish an online multi
factor authentication (MFA) system. Authorizes the
director to procure the system from a third-party.
Stipulates the system must be designed to allow a
voter to easily use the system to a mobile electronic
device. Apps must allow for a very efficient curing
and tracking process. This section also outlines the
procedure for curing simple ballot errors.
4:56:02 PM
Section 11. Amends 15.20.900 by adding new subsections
requiring the division to conduct routine forensic
examination of each precinct tabulator before and
after the election. Prohibits any connectivity to the
internet or a cellular network. Requires a strict
chain of custody protocol for precinct tabulators in a
separate storage device, and requires the division to
provide a technical subject matter expert appointment
for supervised access to all election data algorithm
software equipment including precinct tabulator
storage devices, voting machines and vote tally
systems.
Section 12 Amends AS 15.800.006 by adding a new
section requiring the director to develop a cyber
security program to keep election data safe.
Section 13. Amends 24.20.060 granting the Legislative
Council powers to provide a contractual technical
subject matter expert to conduct a full forensic audit
of voting machines, tabulators, storage devices, and
vote tally systems.
Section 14. Adds a new section to the uncodified law
allowing transitional regulations
Section 15. Section 14 of the bill has an immediate
effective date, to allow transitional regulations
Section 16. Excluding section 15 (immediate effective
date,) allows the rest of the bill to take effect
January 1, 2024.
4:57:56 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 1 in committee.
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