ANCHORAGE VOTES BY MAIL
BY EVAN ANDERSON
THE ALASKA CENTER
Voting is the most important step US citizens can take to ensure our communities are at the table in making decisions that impact all of us.
In Anchorage, voters will choose 5 Assembly members and 2 School Board members, and whether to approve 7 bonds directing over $100 million of funding towards community projects. Another proposition asks voters to approve a 5% tax on alcohol sales. Not a voter? The Anchorage election is your chance to talk to friends, family, and colleagues who are registered voters. By working together, all Anchorage residents can play a role in charting our future. Voting in the Anchorage Municipal Vote-By-Mail election is easy as 1-2-3. 1. If you are a registered voter, you will receive your ballot in the mail after March 12th; vote the whole ballot by filling in the ovals next to your choices and place it in the enclosed envelope. 2.Sign the declaration on the back of the ballot return envelope. 3. Return your ballot by placing in a Secure Drop Box, returning to an Accessible Vote Center or by mailing through the U.S. Postal Service. You have the right to vote free from intimidation. Your ballot will always be secret. However, it is public record whether or not you choose to vote. As a role model, it’s important to set an example and vote. Make sure that when someone looks up your public voting record, they see that you returned your ballot on or before Tuesday, April 2. A few important dates & deadlines to keep in mind: • Check your voter registration is up to date: https://myvoterinformation.alaska.gov/ • Voter Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 3: https://voterregistration.alaska.gov/ • Ballots in the mail: Tuesday, March 12; drop boxes open: http://muni.org/elections • Ballot forwarding deadline (temporary address): Tuesday, March 26, 5 PM. • Online/Fax voting application deadline: Monday, April 1, 5 PM. • Election: Tuesday, April 2, 2019. - Ballots must be in a drop box or to an accessible vote center by 8 PM. - Voters who return their ballots in the mail must ensure they are postmarked no later than April 2. • If you don’t receive your ballot, or have a question about how to return it, call 907-243-VOTE (8683) Want to ensure everyone has a chance to vote? Get in touch with me at evan@akcenter.org or 907.274.3662 and let’s talk about the role you can play in making elections accessible to all Alaskans. |