A. A qualified voter may apply for an absentee ballot by mail if postmarked not earlier than the first of the year in which the election is to be held nor less than seven days before an election. The application shall include the address to which the absentee ballot is to be returned, the applicant’s full Alaska residence address, and the applicant’s signature.

B. After receipt of an application by mail, the Borough Clerk shall send the absentee ballot and other absentee voting materials to the applicant by the most expeditious mail service. The materials shall be sent as soon as they are ready for distribution. The return envelope sent with the materials shall be addressed to the Borough Clerk.

C. Upon receipt of an absentee ballot by mail, the voter, in the presence of a notary public, commissioned officer of the armed forces including the National Guard, district judge or magistrate, United States postal official, or other person qualified to administer oaths, may proceed to mark the ballot in secret, to place the ballot in the small envelope, to place the small envelope in the larger envelope, and to sign the voter’s certificate on the back of the larger envelope in the presence of an official listed in this subsection who shall sign as attesting official and shall date their signature. If none of the officials listed in this subsection are reasonably accessible, an absentee voter shall be witnessed by a person over the age of 18 years.

D. An absentee ballot must be marked and attested on or before the date of the election. If the voter returns the ballot by mail, they shall use the most expeditious mail service and mail the ballot not later than the day of the election to the Borough Clerk. It must be postmarked on or before midnight of election day and received by the Borough Clerk no later than the Tuesday following the election. Ballot envelopes received after that time shall not be opened but shall be marked “invalid” with the date of receipt noted thereon, and shall be preserved with other ballots of the election.

E. The Borough Clerk may require a voter casting an absentee ballot by mail to provide proof of identification or other information to aid in the establishment of their identity.

F. The Borough Clerk shall maintain a record of the name of each voter to whom an absentee ballot is sent by mail. The record must list the date on which the ballot is mailed to the applicant and received in the Office of the Borough Clerk. The record will contain the dates on which the ballot was executed and postmarked.

G. All service area elections shall use the procedures in this section. (Ord. 2019-09 § 2, 2019; Ord. 2015-48 § 6, 2015; Ord. 2004-45 § 2, 2004. 2004 Code § 2.12.580.)