Alaska reroutes Region IV absentee ballots after 75 arrived too late to count

About 75 absentee-in-person ballots from Alaska election Region IV arrived after the Aug. 31 primary certification and were not counted, according to a Division of Elections notice. The division said it notified affected voters as state law requires.

For the Regional Educational Attendance Area election beginning Sept. 21 and the Nov. 3 general election, ballots cast absentee in person at the Nome office will be routed to the Region II office in Anchorage for processing. The division attributed the late arrival to uncertainty in rural mail service during the August primary.

Absentee-in-person ballots differ from early votes. Election workers verify early-voter eligibility at the counter, while absentee-in-person ballots are sent to a regional office for eligibility review before counting.

Region IV includes northern, western and southwest Alaska and the Aleutian Chain. Calling it only the Nome region understates the area affected.

The routing change is an administrative response for the next two elections. It does not amend an election regulation or open a public-comment period.