I recently had the opportunity to tour the municipality’s election center off Ship Creek Avenue, and it only increased my confidence in the accuracy/reliability of Anchorage’s system.
A few things that I learned — or relearned — were:
1. Voters’ signatures are each verified by two people. For verification, they use the state’s database. This database has previous signatures from Permanent Fund dividend applications, the Division of Motor Vehicles (drivers’ licenses), hunting/fishing licenses, absentee ballot requests from the muni and similar public records.
2. Drop boxes are under surveillance.
3. If you mailed your ballot with only one first-class stamp, it still got to the proper place.
4. Selection of election watchers starts with a recommendation from the candidates. Each candidate can have four watchers who must go through some specific training. People do not just walk in to be election watchers.
5. After the fourth year that a registered voter does not vote, letters are sent out to said voter for four years before that voter is removed from the rolls. (A total 8-year grace period, if that is the proper term.)
6. Automatic recounts are done if a particular contest comes within one-half percent.
7. The state has been using Dominion systems for at least 20 years. The muni used to borrow that equipment, but now the muni has its own Dominion system.
8. None of the equipment at election headquarters here in Anchorage is connected to the internet.
If you are dubious about municipal elections, I recommend that you become involved and sign up to be an election worker or endeavor to take a tour of election central at least. First-hand knowledge can’t be beat.
By the way, do sign up for BallotTrax to get notifications of where your mail-in ballot is. Go to anchoragevotes.com. It worked for me. Thank you.
— John Jensen
Anchorage
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