Sec. 15.15.198. Voters not on official registration list.

(a) If a voter's name does not appear on the official registration list in the precinct in which the voter seeks to vote, the election official shall affirmatively advise the voter that the voter may cast a questioned ballot, and the voter shall be allowed to vote a questioned ballot. At the time the voter casts a questioned ballot, the voter shall be given written information stating that the voter will be able to ascertain whether the ballot was counted and, if not counted, the reason the ballot was not counted.

(b) A person whose registration is inactive under AS 15.07.130(b) and who votes a questioned or absentee ballot shall have the ballot counted if

(1) the person was registered to vote in the last four calendar years;

(2) the person signs a statement to that effect; and

(3) the earlier registration is verified by the director.

Sec. 15.15.200. Questioning of voter of doubtful qualification. [Repealed, Sec. 38 ch 116 SLA 1972].

Repealed or Renumbered

Sec. 15.15.210. Questioning of voters of suspect qualification.

Every election official shall question, and every watcher and any other person qualified to vote in the precinct may question, a person attempting to vote if the questioner has good reason to suspect that the questioned person is not qualified under AS 15.05. All questions regarding a person's qualifications to vote shall be made in writing setting out the reason the person has been questioned. A questioned person shall, before voting, subscribe to a declaration in a form provided by the director attesting to the fact that in each particular the person meets all the qualifications of a voter, is not disqualified, and has not voted at the same election, and certifying that the person understands that a false statement on the declaration may subject the person to prosecution for a misdemeanor under this title or AS 11. After the questioned person has executed the declaration, the person may vote. If the questioned person refuses to execute the declaration, the person may not vote.

Sec. 15.15.213. Questioning a voter's ballot. [Repealed, Sec. 43 ch 85 SLA 1988].

Repealed or Renumbered

Sec. 15.15.215. Disposition of questioned votes.

(a) A voter who casts a questioned ballot shall vote the ballot in the same manner as prescribed for other voters. The voter shall insert the ballot into a secrecy sleeve and put the secrecy sleeve into an envelope on which the statement the voter previously signed is located. The envelope shall be sealed and deposited in the ballot box. When the ballot box is opened, the envelopes shall be segregated, counted, compared to the voting list, and delivered to the official or body supervising the election. The merits of the question shall be determined by this official or body in accordance with the procedure prescribed for questioned votes in AS 15.20.207 .

(b) [Repealed, Sec. 231 ch 100 SLA 1980].

Sec. 15.15.220. Administration of oaths.

Any election official may administer to a voter any oath that is necessary in the administration of the election.

Sec. 15.15.225. Voter identification at polls.

(a) Before being allowed to vote, each voter shall exhibit to an election official one form of identification, including

(1) an official voter registration card, driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or fishing license; or

(2) an original or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item exhibited under this paragraph must show the name and current address of the voter.

(b) An election official may waive the identification requirement if the election official knows the identity of the voter. The identification requirement may not be waived for voters who are first-time voters who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, and did not provide identification as required in AS 15.07.060.

(c) A voter who cannot exhibit a required form of identification shall be allowed to vote a questioned ballot.

Sec. 15.15.230. Providing ballot to voter.

When the voter has qualified to vote, the election official shall give the voter an official ballot. The voter shall retire to a booth or private place to mark the ballot.

Sec. 15.15.240. Voter assistance.

A qualified voter needing assistance in voting may request an election official, a person, or not more than two persons of the voter's choice to assist. If the election official is requested, the election official shall assist the voter. If any other person is requested, the person shall state upon oath before the election official that the person will not divulge the vote cast by the person assisted.

Sec. 15.15.250. Disposition of spoiled ballot.

If a voter improperly marks, damages, or otherwise spoils a ballot, the voter may request and the election board shall provide another ballot, with a maximum of three. The board shall record on the precinct register that there was a spoiled ballot and destroy the spoiled ballot immediately without examining it.

Sec. 15.15.260. Placing ballot in ballot box by voter.

When the voter has marked a ballot, the voter shall inform the election official. The ballot shall be deposited in the ballot box by the voter in the presence of the election official unless the voter requests the election official to deposit the ballot on the voter's behalf. Separate ballot boxes may be used for separate ballots.

Sec. 15.15.270. Prohibiting the leaving of the polling place with ballot.

A voter may not leave the polling place with the official ballot that the voter received to mark.

Sec. 15.15.280. Prohibiting the exhibition of marked ballots.

Subject to AS 15.15.240 a voter may not exhibit the voter's ballot to an election official or any other person so as to enable any person to ascertain how the voter marked the ballot.

Sec. 15.15.290. Prohibiting the identification of ballots.

While the polls are open, an election official may not open any ballot received from a voter, or mark a ballot by folding or otherwise so as to be able to recognize it, or otherwise attempt to learn how a voter marked a ballot, or allow the same to be done by another person.

Sec. 15.15.300. Prohibiting the count of exhibited ballots.

An election official may not allow a ballot to be placed in the ballot box that the official knows to have been unlawfully exhibited by the voter. A ballot unlawfully exhibited shall be recorded as a spoiled ballot and destroyed.

Sec. 15.15.310. Official closing of polls.

Fifteen minutes before and at the time of closing the polls, the election board shall announce the present time and the time of closing the polls.

Sec. 15.15.320. Voters in line when polls close.

Every qualified voter present and in line at the time prescribed for closing the polls may vote.

Sec. 15.15.330. Commencement of ballot count.

When the polls are closed and the last vote has been cast in a hand-count precinct, the election board shall immediately proceed to open the ballot box and to count the votes cast. In all cases, the election board shall cause the count to be continued without adjournment until the count is complete.

Sec. 15.15.340. Duties, oath, and vacancies of additional election officials.

Additional election officials shall report to the election board at the polls at the time designated by the election supervisor or the chairperson of the election board to assume their duties to assist the election board in counting the vote. Before undertaking the duties of office, each additional election official shall subscribe to an oath to honestly, faithfully, impartially, and promptly carry out the duties of the position. If an additional election official fails to appear and subscribe to the oath at the time designated by the election supervisor, the election board shall appoint any qualified voter to fill the vacancy.

Sec. 15.15.350. General procedure for ballot count.

(a) The director may adopt regulations prescribing the manner in which the precinct ballot count is accomplished so as to ensure accuracy in the count and to expedite the process. The election board shall account for all ballots by completing a ballot statement containing (1) the number of official ballots received; (2) the number of official ballots voted; (3) the number of official ballots spoiled; (4) the number of official ballots unused and either destroyed or returned for destruction to the elections supervisor or the election supervisor's designee. The board shall count the number of questioned ballots and compare that number to the number of questioned voters in the register. Discrepancies shall be noted and the numbers included in the certificate prescribed by AS 15.15.370 . The election board, in hand-count precincts, shall count the ballots in a manner that allows watchers to see the ballots when opened and read. A person handling the ballot after it has been taken from the ballot box and before it is placed in the envelope for mailing may not have a marking device in hand or remove a ballot from the immediate vicinity of the polls.

(b) Ballots may not be counted before 8:00 p.m., local time, on the day of the election.