State blames mail delivery issues for dozens of ballots from rural Alaska not counting in primary

Seventy-five absentee in-person ballots from rural western Alaska communities were too late to be counted in last month's primary election, according to Alaska officials. The Alaska Division of Elections cited a "mail delivery delay" that impacted voters in seven communities, with Kotzebue, Igiugig, and Naknek accounting for 62 of the ballots.

However, the division did not elaborate on the specifics of the delay. This issue follows similar late postmark problems in Washington and Oregon, where rejections of absentee ballots have risen sharply. The U.S. Postal Service clarified that mail postmarks indicate when the agency took possession of the mail, not necessarily the date it was initially delivered.

Postal Service spokesperson David Steiner urged voters to vote early, citing various factors that can affect mail delivery. The state allows absentee ballots postmarked on Election Day and up to 10 days after the election to be accepted, but this buffer is sometimes insufficient. In 2022, some villages' ballots were not fully counted due to mail delays.

Voting advocates have called for a plan to reroute absentee in-person ballots from western Alaska communities to Anchorage, where mail delays are less common. Advocacy group Get Out the Native Vote's Michelle Sparck noted that the 75 late ballots represent a "measurable loss in participation" and could exacerbate voter apathy.