The City and Borough of Juneau says that about 1% of the ballots mailed to voters were involved in a technical glitch that led to duplicate ballots being mailed to voters. The local election ends on Oct. 1. Ballots were mailed Sept. 12.
It’s unclear why the city believes it’s 1%. In fact, about 600 voters got duplicated ballots, far more than 1%. Some 27,767 people were registered to vote last year during the local election that saw a turnout of 9,137, or less than 33%. That’s over 2% of registered voters or 6.5% of those who actually voted.
“Some people who voted a questioned ballot in the State Primary Election or updated their voter registration between 8/23/24 and 9/1/24 may receive two ballots in the mail. Those people should vote one ballot and destroy the other,” the city in a statement.
The municipal election division says there are protocols in place to ensure that each voter casts a single vote.
“Upon return, only one ballot envelope from any voter is accepted – the first one received. Others are rejected,” the announcement said.
“CBJ Elections knows how this glitch occurred and has taken steps to ensure it does not happen in future elections. Thank you to everyone who called with questions and thank you for voting,” the city said.
Juneau started voting by mail, copying Anchorage’s lead in mailing ballots to all registered voters in the city and borough; the change was initiated in 2020 during the Covid pandemic. In 2023, vote by mail became the default method for voting, after a change in the local election code made by the Juneau Assembly.
It’s an example of government taking something that was working well and making it work poorly, said one voter, who added, “Once lost, confidence of the public is very difficult to regain.”
For official information from the Juneau government, go to juneau.org/clerk/elections.
I am sure it was a simple ‘honest” mistake in the programming by a mentally challenged election employee.
Democrats are the only ones effected with this problem thanks goodness said Alaskan DNC.
I imagine those duplicate ballots ended up in the “Liberal” populated areas of the CBJ. No matter, they and many others will end up in the secret ballot counting building. I predict a Democrat sweep like prior years.
Where are the non liberal areas? Out the road?
In all my years I’m not sure I’ve found a non liberal area.
Right!! And who’s counting?
Probably not even a glitch.
Even if there are safeguards in place, who will actually believe in them?
Elections work because we believe in the process. At least, we used to.
It is not a bug.
It is a feature.
We already have ‘vote by mail’. It’s called Absentee Ballots. It has been in place forever to assist voters who cannot physically get to the polls. The current ‘vote by mail’ scheme invites fraud, administrative screw ups, and a lack of voter privacy. Paper ballots. Same day voting. No voting machines.
But, it gets more people voting… Or so they think.
And, I do not want more people voting. I want more informed people voting. Heading to a voting center is enough to demonstrate you have some knowledge, or at the minimum, some energy about the outcome of the election.
Having a ballot show up unrequested is an invitation for the voter to select the candidate with the most signs, or catchiest ads. Not the best one for the position.
Why isn’t the Lt. Governor, Nancy Dahlstrom, looking into this matter? I know that she is the state election chief, not the local election chief, but for gawds sake, Nancy, get off your butt and do something for Alaska. And quityurbitchin!
eLEcTIoNs aRe SeCure
Well, isn’t that special!!!!! Mail in voting is the answer to all of the problems with voting fraud.
Cheers!!!
One vote one person at the polling booth it was simple and we never had any problems with the elections back then. We need to go back to vote who you want to vote for not who the rank choice voting says, but who you want.
We just moved to AK from a state that implemented all mail in ballots in 2013. Now that former red state is deep blue with Venzuelan illegals (gangs) running rampant. And this year they added a RCV measure to the ballot which could pass with mail ballot fraud.
It’s a Juneau thing. Nothing works.
I don’t understand why only 16% of gun owners vote seems Alaska has the most to lose.
Voter turnout is low because they are going to do what they want regardless. why bother to vote, no one listens.
Well……..Imagine that.
Like Joseph Stalin Stated decades and decades ago, Those who Vote decide nothing, those who count the Votes decide everything…The democrats have found all sorts of ways to circumvent and cheat, This stuff is totally out of control all
Over the country, and the people who are suppose to be guarding against the fraud are all in on it in many cases, .eventually there will be a day the people will stand up and say enough of all this corrupt BS, it’s just a matter of time now!
I’ve been hanging out at the post office garbage can, part of my “get out the vote” initiative.