It’s presidential election season here in Kodiak, and that means it’s time once again for us to cast our vote. This election features a myriad of ways for one to cast their ballot, according to the Kodiak Island Borough Clerk’s office, and each way affects when the vote is actually counted.
Of course, the classic in-person voting at your polling site remains an option. Eligible voters in the state of Alaska need only come down to their respective polling sites on November 3rd, election day, and cast their ballot. These votes are counted on the same day, November 3rd.
If one has concerns about Kodiak’s mounting COVID-19 cases or can’t make it to their polling sites on election day, absentee-in-person voting will enable you to vote between now and November 2nd. To do this, one receives a ballot at the Kodiak Island Borough Chamber from an election official, fills it out, and it is then posted immediately that day to Juneau by that same election official.
While early voting in person is occurring in larger municipalities, it is not available in Kodiak. Early voting in person would allow for one to vote ahead of the actual election, and would cause their vote to be counted immediately on election day.
Absentee ballots, including absentee-in-person ballots, will not be counted immediately, and not until at least a week after the election. State law dictates that the canvassing board in Juneau is to begin their hand counting process no sooner than seven days after the election, and they must complete this count within 15 days of the election.
For those with further questions, the Kodiak Island Borough clerk’s office is taking calls at (907)-486-9311.