Lines were long at the Division of Elections polling station on 7th Avenue in Fairbanks over the weekend.
Early voting opened last week around the state.
Nearly 40,000 Alaskans had already cast their ballots by the weekend according division director Carol Beecher. She called the early turnout “historic” in a news release on Friday, saying if early voting continues at the current pace, the state will set a record. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic,193,813 Alaskans voted early or absentee, according to figures published by the Alaska Division of Elections. 2020 has the state’s record for both early and absentee voting. That was a majority of all votes cast in that election.
Campaigns on both sides of the aisle have increasingly urged voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.
At an Early Voting location, Division of Elections staffers have access to the voter registration system, so your eligibility is determined on the spot, by verifying that your voter registration record is current. If everything is correct, you will vote your ballot and insert it into the scanner, and your votes will be counted on Election Day.
If your information is not current, you will need to vote using the absentee-in-person method. Those ballots are reviewed by the Absentee Review Board to make sure you are eligible and that you have not already voted, then they are counted seven days after Election Day. That’s why we might call next week “Election Week” instead of Election Day, because some close races in Alaska may not be determined until Absentee ballots are counted.
At the Fairbanks station, ballots for all 40 House Districts are available, and it is open every day until Election Day - 8:00am – 5:00pm, 10 to 4:00 on Saturday and Noon – 4:00pm on Sunday. There is also a pop-up Early Voting Station on the UAF Wood Center just for Monday, November 4 from 8:00am – 5:00pm, with all 40 house district ballots.
You can vote early in Healy at the Denali Borough Clerk’s Office Monday-Thursday and next Monday 9:00am – 4:00pm with only House District 30 ballots.
In Cantwell, at the Cantwell Library, Thursday and Friday only from 4:00pm – 9:00pm so you can cast a Halloween Night ballot – but only for House District 30.
The City of Delta Junction has early voting tomorrow and Thursday from Noon – 7:00pm at City Hall on Deborah Street, with only House District 36 ballots.
In Circle at the Circle Tribal Council office Monday – Friday and next Monday 8:00am – 5:00pm with only House District 36 ballots.
In Tok, at the Tok Library, from Wednesday – Sunday, Noon to 4:00pm, with only House District 36 ballots.
In Bettles at the Fire Station until next Monday with varying hours and District 36 ballots.
In Nenana at the City Office on A St Monday – Thursday and next Monday, 10:00am – 2:00pm with House District 36 ballots.
Absentee ballots can also be dropped off at early voting locations or at Election Day precincts.
Polls are open on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
