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Senate Passes Comprehensive Election Reform Package to Protect Access, Improve Security, and Ensure Faster Results
Juneau, AK – Today, the Alaska Senate passed Senate Bill 64, a bipartisan election reform package aimed at protecting the integrity and security of Alaska’s elections.
Crafted with input from Republican, Democratic, and Independent lawmakers, along with provisions originally introduced by Governor Dunleavy, SB 64 is the most comprehensive election reform legislation passed in over a decade. SB 64 contains several provisions aimed at cleaning up Alaska’s voter list after it was estimated in 2022 that the list was equal to 106% of the adult population. It allows for faster election results, bans the use of undisclosed deepfakes designed to mislead voters, and repeals the witness signature requirement that has led to high numbers of military and rural voters having their absentee ballots rejected.
“Every Alaskan deserves the peace of mind that our elections are secure, and that their vote will be counted,” said Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, Senate Rules Committee Chair. “This bill will deliver that peace of mind by protecting Alaskans against cyber threats, cleaning up outdated voter rolls, and ensuring faster, more transparent election results. It also ensures that Alaskans serving our country in the military will have their absentee ballots counted.”
Key provisions of SB 64 include:
- Cleaning Up Alaska’s Voter Rolls
- Streamlines the removal of ineligible voters with a single forwardable notice.
- Targets duplicate and out-of-state voter registrations through cross-checks with PFD data.
- Mandates annual reviews of the voter rolls by independent national election experts.
- Strengthening Election Security and Transparency
- Directs the lieutenant governor to establish cybersecurity protections for Alaska’s election systems.
- Requires public disclosure of election data breaches.
- Expands risk-limiting audits to verify election accuracy.
- Ensures all campaigns can observe polling places and ballot review processes.
- Removing Barriers to Voting
- Repeals the witness signature requirement for absentee by-mail ballots, which disproportionately impacts rural and military voters.
- Establishes a ballot curing process so voters can correct ballot errors before rejection.
- Provides prepaid return envelopes for absentee ballots, removing a cost barrier to voting.
- Faster Election Results
- Allows earlier review of absentee ballots—12 days before Election Day instead of 7.
- Requires ranked choice voting tabulations to be included in unofficial election night results.
- Sets a uniform 10-day post-election deadline for absentee ballots, allowing earlier certification.
Senate Bill 64 now heads to the House for consideration and is scheduled to be heard in the House Finance Committee on Wednesday. If signed into law, the reforms will be in place for the 2026 election cycle.
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