Absentee Voting Information

Are you unable to vote at your precinct on Election Day?
If so, Alaska law provides for the following ways to vote absentee:

By mail (deadline for applying: 10 days before an election)
In person (available 15 days before an election)
By fax (available 15 days before a Primary or General Election)
Special needs voting for disabled voters (available 15 days before an election).

You may now apply for an Absentee By Mail Ballot for the 2008 Elections

Please read the below information in regards to upcoming elections and instructions before linking to our absentee by mail application found at the bottom of this section.

The following elections are currently scheduled to be conducted by the Division of Elections for 2008:

August 26, 2008 Primary Election

• One United States Senate Seat
• One United States House of Representative Seat
• 10 State Senate Seats: Seats A, C, E, G, I, K O, Q and T
• All 40 State House of Representative Seats

Please Note: The State of Alaska does not have a Presidential and Vice Presidential Primary. Names of the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates are submitted to the Division of Elections by the recognized political parties of the State of Alaska after the National Presidential Caucuses and are placed on the November 4, 2008 General Election. Please contact the recognized political parties in Alaska for additional information in regards to the National Presidential Caucus process held by each party. You may view the list of recognized political parties in Alaska by clicking here. In addition, limited political party candidates or independent candidates for President and Vice President may appear on the November 4, 2008 General Election.

October 7, 2008 REAA/CRSA Elections

November 4, 2008 General Election

• United States President and Vice President
• One United States Senate Seat
• One United States House of Representative Seat
• 10 State Senate Seats: Seats A, C, E, G, I, K O, Q and T
• All 40 State House of Representative Seats
• Ballots Measures (if applicable)

Local City/Borough Elections

Additional Absentee By-Mail Voting Information

Apply early to receive your ballot in time. The deadline to receive a request for an absentee by mail ballot is 10 days before Election Day. When completing the application, you may select an individual election or all elections in the calendar year.
Mailing of the official absentee ballots begins approximately two to three weeks before Election Day.
If you are outside the United States or if you are living, working, or traveling in a remote area of Alaska, you may request a special advance ballot to be mailed to you. This ballot is mailed to voters beginning 60 days prior to Election Day until 32 days before Election Day to ensure that voters have sufficient time to vote. An official ballot will also be mailed to you approximately two to three weeks prior to the election. Vote and return both ballots to make sure one is received. If both are received, only the regular ballot will be counted otherwise the Division will count the special advance ballot.
Upon receipt of your ballot, follow the instructions carefully. Vote your ballot, place your voted ballot in the provided secrecy sleeve, place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve inside the return envelope, sign the return envelope, provide an identifier and have your signature witnessed.
Your voted ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day. If mailed from within the United States, your ballot must be received within 10 days after Election Day. If mailed from outside the United States, it must be received within 15 days after Election Day.
If you have questions about your absentee ballot application or about the by mail process you may contact the Absentee & Petition Office at (907) 375-6400 or via email at akabsentee@alaska.gov.

Absentee By Mail Application

Voting by fax should be your last alternative to casting your ballot. Please Note: by using this method to return your voted ballot, you need to be aware that you are voluntarily waiving your right to a secret ballot.

• You must apply separately for each election.
• You must submit your request no later than 5:00 p.m. Alaska time the day before Election Day.
• Vote your ballot, have your signature witnessed and fax (or mail) the ballot according to the instructions.
• If you are returning your ballot by fax, it must be voted, witnessed and received by the appropriate fax in the Absentee Voting Office by 8:00 p.m. Alaska time on Election Day.

A qualified voter who is disabled may apply for an absentee ballot through a personal representative who can bring the ballot to the voter.

• A personal representative can be anyone over 18, except a candidate for office in the election, the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union.
• Ballots are available 15 days before the Primary, General or Statewide Special Election at any Regional Elections Office:
  
  - Anchorage: 2525 Gambell St, Ste 100 , 522-8683
  - Fairbanks: State Office Building, 675 7th Ave., 451-2835
  - Juneau: Mendenhall Mall, 9109 Mendenhall Mall Road, Suite 3, 465-3021
  - Nome : 103 E Front Street, 2nd Floor - State Office Building, 443-5285
  - Matanuska-Susitna : 1700 E. Bogard Road, Building B, Suite 102 - North fork Professional Building, 373-8952
  
  
• Ballots are available 15 days before the Primary, General or Statewide Special Election from any Absentee Voting Official. Click here for a list of absentee voting offices.
• Ballots are also available on Election Day from the voter's polling place, unless there is an Absentee Official in the area.
• The Personal Representative brings the completed application to an Election Official for a ballot and takes the ballot to the voter.
• The voter completes a certificate authorizing the Personal Representative to carry their ballot, votes the ballot privately, places it in a secrecy sleeve and seals it inside the envelope provided.
• The Personal Representative brings the voted ballot back to the Election Official by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.