The State of Alaska announced that 75 absentee ballots sent by voters in rural communities of western Alaska could not be counted in last month's primary election due to postal delivery delays.
Reasons for Delivery Delays
The Alaska Division of Elections identified postal delivery delays as the cause of this issue, adding that this delay affected voters in seven communities. Of these, 62 ballots were from the communities of Kotzebue, Igiugig, and Naknek. However, a spokesperson for the division did not provide further details about the nature of the delays.
Read more: Donald Trump has faded in Republican television ads
Impacts on Elections and Voters
This announcement comes amid an increase in the number of rejected ballots due to invalid postmark dates in the states of Washington and Oregon. The United States Postal Service passed a law last year stating that postmark dates do not necessarily reflect the date of initial receipt of the mail, but rather the day the mail was processed at the postal service's processing center. David Steiner, the Postmaster General, has urged voters to send their ballots earlier in this year's midterm elections.
Nikolaj Hagen, a spokesperson for the Postal Service, stated that “a number of factors” can affect mail delivery times, and staff take their responsibilities very seriously. He added that without actually reviewing the relevant mail, the Postal Service cannot comment further and is committed to working closely with Alaska election officials to identify communication and coordination opportunities.
The State of Alaska accepts absentee ballots that are postmarked on Election Day and received within 10 days after the election. However, this deadline is not always sufficient. For example, in 2022, some ballots from villages were not fully counted due to postal delays.
Mitchell Spark, director of the organization Get Out the Native Vote, said that the 75 ballots that did not arrive on time represent “a significant decrease in participation.” He added that such experiences can deepen voter apathy and reinforce a systemic feeling of insignificance regarding their votes.
Sallyann Hughes, a resident of the small village of Naknek, said that she cast her absentee ballot in person on August 5, but later received a letter stating that her vote did not arrive on time. She stated, “I was very dissatisfied. I made extra efforts to ensure my vote was counted, and it did not happen.”
Hughes will be leaving the state for the general election and plans to receive her absentee ballot electronically, which must be downloaded and printed with a witness signature. She says she has planned to take her ballot to the post office and emphasizes that she will send it with tracking.
Read more: The death of Owen Davis in a plane crash in the Swiss Alps · Ukraine condemns Russia's holding of elections in occupied territories
Source: abcnews.com
