18.27.020 Absentee voting – By mail.
A. A registered voter may apply to the clerk for an absentee by mail ballot no earlier than the first of the year in which the election is to be held and no later than 4:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time 11 calendar days before an election.
B. All applications for an absentee by mail ballot shall be in writing on a form provided by the clerk’s office containing the following information:
1. The applicant’s first and last name;
2. The applicant’s place of residence;
3. The address the applicant desires the absentee by mail ballot to be mailed;
4. The applicant’s signature; and
5. A voter identifier such as voter number, a Social Security number, or date of birth.
C. Once ballots are in the clerk’s possession and ready for distribution, the clerk shall mail an official ballot, and other absentee by mail voting material, to the applicant at the mailing address given on the application. A return envelope, marked with the words “official election mail,” shall be included with the voting materials and addressed to the clerk.
D. At any time on or before the day of the election, any voter receiving an absentee by mail ballot may vote the ballot. The voted ballot should be placed in a secrecy sleeve, which is then placed in the return envelope. The voter shall sign the certification on the return envelope in the presence of one witness who is at least 18 years of age, who shall attest to the voter’s signature by signing the certification.
E. After witnessing the absentee by mail voter’s signature, the voter shall mail or otherwise deliver the ballot to an election official or the clerk. The voted absentee ballot shall be received by mail as defined in PMC 18.35.080 or returned to an election official no later than 8:00 p.m. on election day. Election officials shall deliver absentee by mail ballots to the clerk. The clerk shall deliver absentee by mail ballots to the canvass board for canvassing.
F. Prior to the election, the clerk shall give to the election officials a list of voters from the city who have been issued absentee by mail ballots.
G. If a voter who was issued an absentee by mail ballot returns to the voter’s precinct on election day, the voter may not vote a regular ballot at the polling place unless the voter first surrenders the absentee by mail ballot issued to the voter. If the absentee by mail voter does not have the absentee by mail ballot to surrender, the voter may vote a questioned ballot. Surrendered absentee by mail ballots, ballot envelopes and return envelopes collected by the election official shall be returned to the clerk. (Ord. 20-014 § 3, 2020; Ord. 12-009 § 12, 2012)