By KEVIN MEYER
As the special primary election to fill Alaska’s vacant seat in Congress is wrapping up, and the final votes are being counted and certified, I thought it would be a good time to dispel some of the misinformation that continues to be spread across the state regarding ballots, our voting process, and the equipment we use to conduct the various elections.
First, let me clarify that I, along with everyone at the Division of Elections, am committed to overseeing fair and honest elections in Alaska.
I have heard allegations that our by-mail primary election was conducted illegally. This is false: Alaska conducts all state elections in accordance with state law and has been given authority under Alaska Statute 15.20.800 to conduct elections by mail when they are not held at the usual time for an election.
In this case, state law requires the special primary election to be held on a date that is no less than 60 nor more than 90 days from the vacancy of the seat.
The short window of time caused challenges because the Division of Elections could not recruit and train the more than 2,000 personnel and deploy the equipment necessary for an in-person statewide election by that time. We have more than 400 precincts to staff across the state, including the very small rural villages. This means the Division needed to conduct the special primary election by mail. Note that this is the only by-mail election; the regular primary and general elections will be conducted normally, as directed by state law.
There will be just two more statewide federal elections this year, our regular primary election will be held on Aug. 16, and this ballot will include the special general election for the vacant congressional seat.
Both the special general (Aug. 16) and regular general (Nov. 8) ballots will be formatted according to the new election law, and voters will have to rank their choices for each race. There will be abundant voter education coming from the Division, candidates, and other parties over the next four to five months. Please take a minute to learn about this new process or request a presentation.
Over the past four years, I have heard that Alaska’s voter rolls are inaccurate and contain more voters than eligible adults currently in the state. The Division of Elections conducts continual voter list maintenance as Federal and State laws prescribe. Once a voter is on the list, removing a non-voter takes about four to five years — this is a Federal law.
The increased number of registered voters is directly tied to Alaska’s Automatic Voter Registration system through the Permanent Fund dividend. We have thousands of Alaskans on the voter list who did not ask to be registered, do not plan to vote, and may not live in-state any longer. Without their direct communication with the Division, removing them from the master list is incredibly difficult. This automatic voter registration when applying for a PFD was enacted by initiative, and for the Division of Elections to keep our list accurate, it needs to be changed.
Last legislative session, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and I advocated for a simple change to the law that would require voters affirmatively opt-in to the voter registration portion of the PFD application. This will significantly help clean up the voter rolls properly and efficiently. This will ensure those who want to be registered voters, will be registered. Those who don’t, won’t be. Unfortunately, the Legislature was not able to get an election reform bill passed this session. I hope they address this issue in 2023.
There continues to be misinformation that our Dominion equipment changes votes and reports fraudulent results — this is simply untrue. We do not use voting machines — rather, we utilize ballot tabulators that are not connected to the internet and simply count the voted paper ballots.
After extensive hand recounts of random precincts in all 40 house districts, some challenged districts, and the statewide initiative Ballot Measure No. 2, the state nonpartisan review boards found no examples of widespread fraud or intentional misconduct by election officials and no evidence that the equipment used to tabulate and report election results functioned improperly. The Dominion equipment is tested by a non-partisan review board before being deployed to the precincts.
The state conducted multiple reviews and hand counts of 2020 election races, all of which affirmed the tabulator results. Those general election hand count results are available on the Division’s website. Additionally, Alaska has been, and always will be, a paper-ballot state. We will always have the ballots to review and verify our elections’ results.
We receive multiple emails and phone calls per week propagating the same misunderstandings and misinformation about elections being spread by national groups with no connection to Alaska or understanding of how elections are run here in the Last Frontier. But please find out for yourself, volunteer to help at the polling places, volunteer for early or absentee voting, or simply be an observer on election day. We want and need your help!
Please verify the information you read before sharing or retweeting allegations that have no basis on how we do elections in Alaska. For more information, please visit the Alaska Division of Elections website: www.elections.alaska.gov. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel something doesn’t look correct. We will have the state troopers investigate election fraud.
Kevin Meyer is the lieutenant governor of Alaska.
I signed up to be a poll worker with the division of elections in February. I never heard back from them. I wonder if it because I am a republican super voter? Another example of our inept Alaska government.
Sadly, that level of logical analysis underpins most of MRAK comments.
I’m a Republican..and I worked this last election!
They do prefer more mature people! Something to ponder…
Regarding Mr. Meyers’ near-hysterical attempts to refute the well-justified criticisms and doubts about our increasingly compromised state voting system and process: methinks he doth protest too much.
I agree.
Kevin Meyer is selling snake oil.
Nobody trusts Dominion.
There have been far too many examples of Dominion “features” enabling fraudulent modification of vote totals in adjudication by election supervisors, not to mention tabulating errors by their systems.
These systems can not be trusted, no matter how secure any politician or self-proclaimed expert claims them to be.
Electronic voting systems can be rigged an infinite number of ways. Proprietary systems with closed source code add additional layers of vulnerabilities by way of “features”, 0 day exploits, and the largest vulnerability…. potential bias and incentives by employees or the owners of the systems to rig elections via firmware updates and self-deleting modules or executable scripts.
Electronic voting systems can be exploited and rigged. That is a non-starter.
Electronic voting systems act as a layer of obfuscation preventing human beings from being able to count and verify votes themselves. Recounts are only triggered in the event of a race being within 0.5-1.0% of the total vote. That means you are to trust that the machines counted correctly and were not manipulated via exploit or firmware update.
The majority of the world does not use electronic voting systems because the potential for fraud is too large.
Mr. Meyer, how much experience do you have as a software engineer or cybersecurity professional?
What are your technical certifications and when were they last renewed? When did the state last perform independent code audits on Dominion tabulators? How frequent are code audits performed?
Mr. Meyer, do you want a secure election?
1. Clean up the voter rolls, verify addresses
2. require voter ID
3. ban vote by mail elections
4. restrict absentee ballots only to military abroad and the disabled, require driver’s license + signature verification check
5. require absentee ballots to be postmarked at least 3-5 days before election day.
6. require Live in-person voting with paper ballots on a single election day
7. Remove all electronic voting systems completely.
This is a critical step.
All ballots must be hand counted twice at the precinct level with totals verified and signed off by at least two individuals of different political affiliations. Upon completion of hand tabulation vote totals for official and provisional ballots at each precinct are then called in verbally and recorded at the Division of Elections on paper. Counting ballots does not stop until all tabulation is complete.
The precinct supervisor then transmits the totals electronically to the Division of Elections server via TLS or via public blockchain and verifies that both numbers match. The precinct supervisor should be able to verify the electronic record in the state database is correct. Dual verification by two methods should prevent any man-in-the-middle attack.
The precinct supervisor then forwards their handwritten totals along with all paper ballots (official + provisional) to the state following chain of custody laws. It should be encouraged for precinct supervisors to take and retain a photo of their handwritten totals before handing off all ballots and documents to the state Division of Elections.
Should results be compromised by central tabulation at the state Division of Elections or any dispute take place precinct supervisors can act as a check on the system.
Actionable Intelligence. Will the Lt. Governor respond? Is there any initiative on the part of the Lt. Governor to use the available time toward that end? Do any of the candidates for the job stand out due to their initiative?
Sounds to me like, “our systems basically set up to promote cheating and very difficult to change, but don’t believe misinformation…” ??
“I’ve heard that our voter rolls are inaccurate.” Then he admits they are in fact inaccurate and very difficult to update…4-5 years?!?!
I’m sorry but if this was supposed to make me trust out election integrity it failed big time.
Release the Tshibaka report.
What is that?
Very possible Kathy. I too signed up and never heard back. They seem to have plenty of volunteers where I live so there are never any openings
So the voter registration is up to date, however, it takes removing a non-voter 4-5 years from the registration list as it is Federal Law. In my opinion, not only is this a total waste of time and money but another example of Government inefficiency. I can tell you Mr. Meyer there are many documented people who moved out of Alaska who are still getting ballots to vote here. They may have been removed from the list, so for 4 years plus they receive ballots?? So if not caught (which They aren’t) they vote illegally. So could you give me the number of the Federal law so I can read it?
‘https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra
In the absence of a written confirmation from a registrant of a change of address outside the jurisdiction, Section 8(d) of the NVRA sets forth a process for removing a person based on change of residence. This process requires sending a forwardable notice, in the form of a postage-prepaid and pre-addressed return card, on which the person may state his or her current address. The notice must include the language required by Section 8(d)(2) of the NVRA. For example, the notice must advise (1) that if the registrant did not change his or her residence, or changed residence but remained in the registrar’s jurisdiction, the registrant should complete and return the card not later than the voter registration deadline for the next election; (2) that if the card is not returned, affirmation or confirmation of the registrant’s address may be required before the registrant is permitted to vote in a federal election during the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the day after the date of the second general election for Federal office that occurs after the date of the notice; and (3) that if the registrant does not vote in an election during that period the registrant’s name will be removed from the list of eligible voters.
The jurisdiction may designate the registrant as inactive if the registrant fails to return the card by the voter registration deadline for the next election after the notice is sent.
The jurisdiction may remove the registrant from the voter rolls after sending the notice in two circumstances. First, if the registrant confirms in writing, such as by completing and returning the notice card, that the registrant has changed residence to a place outside the jurisdiction then the registrant can be removed from the list immediately. Second, if the registrant fails to respond to the notice and fails to vote or to appear to vote in an election beginning on the date the notice is sent and ending on the day after the date of the second federal general election after the notice is sent, then the registrant can be removed from the list after that second federal general election.
To Kevin Meyer: It is sad that so many of us simply do not trust the voting process any more. We don’t trust Gail Fenumai. We don’t trust the machines or how they are tabulated. No matter how much you say everything is on the up & up, we just don’t have that trust any more. Re your answer about ballot #2 where you say there was no evidence of “widespread” fraud: What does that mean? There was SOME fraud but not widespread? That’s a famous liberal answer; “no evidence of widespread fraud.” And as for the “non-partisan” review board: there is no such thing as “non-partisan” any more. I worked at the election/polling place in Homer about 15 years ago. I could plainly see there were names on the rolls of people that were either dead or no longer lived there. At the end of the night, the machines sent their results electronically to (somewhere?) Anyway, the tabulation was sent electronically. That electronic process isn’t used any more?
You know, Barbara, you never questioned election integrity before, and it never even actually occurred to you until Trump planted the idea in your head. You never questioned it when your candidate won. You somehow believe that millions of people conspire together to make it happen. You maintain that it’s all done by one side and not the other. And lastly, if your candidate wins in the future, you won’t question it any further.
Sadly, you’ve been suckered by the Big Lie. You are being used, and you know it, but you gladly go along because it suits your larger objectives.
Whidbey, please watch 2000 Mules and tell me there is not widespread, organized, paid for viter fraud.
Don’t be a fool for the establishment, don’t be ignorant.
Thx
I worked at a Fairbanks polling plaice for a couple years or so. Pretty hard to cheat the in person voting system. I remember 3 ways each ballot was recorded including saving the paper ballot.
The folks working there were all serious and helpful and made sure every LEGAL voter got to vote. There was another voting precinct in the opposite end of the mall and they were also serious, helpful people.
It was a fun place to spend a day and talking to voters while you worked was also interesting.
Covid kinda screwed it up tho.
I don’t trust him any more than I do Cathy Giessel.
What is wrong with AK Republicans?
Sir, great guest contribution. Well reasoned and insightful.
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Consider what technology can be crammed into a smartphone, and look at that big fat box of a tabulator and tell me, that you know with CERTAINTY that there is no wireless, bluetooth, or SIM card set up and operating. Its a tall order, and not likely easy to hang your hat on. I respectfully submit a request that we put those “Ballot Tabulators” in a Faraday cage and then the “not connected to the internet” claim will be easily believable and essentially irrefutable, but that is about the only way.
This is a critical juncture where this administration could stand tall, not only for the State of Alaska, but set an example for the entire country. Have the Governor do whatever is necessary to make it so that all electronic “voting tabulators” require a Faraday blanket/cover, and use this simple means to quell any potential for the machines to communicate via any means except a mechanical connection. Specify the “voting tabulator blanket” design criteria using readily available materials (even if it is modifying commercially available blankets), and have them made in state!
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Overcome, and most importantly, fight with ANY and EVERY tool available.
Meyer states that there was “no widespread fraud” in our election processes. Define widespread for me, Lt Governor.
A lot of disinformation on Meyers part, this is merely a “CYA” letter to cover for the impending rear-ending we the voters are about to endure. If there is nothing to hide why does Barb Jones have to enact Mao-ist measures to conceal Anchorages election process?
Also “no duh” they didn’t find anything in Alaska regarding funny business in 2020, why bother risk getting caught for our one electoral vote?
Frank. We have three electoral votes.
And Lt Gov Meyer didn’t do anything but support the state and the courts when it was proven by former Rep Lance Pruitt that votes were counted from people who did not live in the district. Also, evidence of multiple ballots being sent out of state and to addresses here in Anchorage. There’s a lot wrong with our elections. I appreciate the Lt Gov telling us what has been done, but there’s a lot more that needs to be done. Why not acknowledge the problems Lt. Gov., and tell us what you are doing to correct these issues?
Mass mailings of ballots and electronic voting machines are illegal in civilized nations for good reason.
Rank choice is a cheat designed by cheaters for the purpose of cheating.
There will be no honest elections in Alaska until these cheats are dealt with.
^YES! Thank you, Kenneth.
You literally had one job… and that is precisely to “recruit and train the more than 2,000 personnel and deploy the equipment necessary for an in-person statewide election”; “no less than 60 nor more than 90 days from the vacancy of the seat.” If your head is so far up your filling cabinet that you cant see that the problems with our elections cant be fixed by a recount because the systemic failures make an accurate recount impossible, then you should find a new job making license plates or maybe crushing rocks.
Chad, Meyers has two jobs, elections and… he is the ” keeper of the State Seal”.
Seriously, look it up. And no it’s not like being a Zookeeper, it’s that thing that is supposed to stamp papers.
I hope that clears it up for you.
An Alaska Statute allows anyone to obtain a copy of the state seal from the alt. Gov for a fee of $2. Just for grins, I sent Fran Ulmer, the then alt. Gov, a money order for the required payment, and waited- and waited. Months later, I received a letter from her, personally. She returned my money order, and the letter read “on the advice of counsel, I refuse to provide a copy of the state seal.”
Gotta wonder what was going on, there. Anyone want to repeat that experiment now?? It only costs $2 and a stamp.
“Once a voter is on the list, removing a non-voter takes about four to five years — this is a Federal law.”
I would like more information on this.
Regarding mail-in ballots, I think a lot of Alaskans remember the fiasco a judge caused regarding mail-in ballots and witness signatures during the pandemic. Alaskans saw how easily our election integrity was demolished, and so now, question the process. I feel it’s right that they do so, given how easily one judge could change things.
Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing Jesus taught. Can you boast your claim to GOD??? So help me GOD oath takers your contact is with GOD. Not the cameras. For of and by the people. SO HELP YOU GOD.
Kevin Meyer is a liberal Democrat, not even a RINO
You admit that you have been receiving communication from constituents for years regarding the election process. Why on earth are you just now getting around to addressing the issue? At this point, we question your ability to do your elected job, as well as your defense. You and Joe are equally incompetent. “ My hands are tied”. Evidently, like our Governor, the cat got your tongue as well, because now that the session is over, you come out with this belated response. Good riddance.
Why do we have to retrain election folks for every election? Aren’t they sufficiently trained from the last election? This is unclear in the extreme. Also, how many ballots are sent to addresses outside of Alaska? Couldn’t we at least stop that particular practice? This sounds like he is throwing his hands up in defeat.
You have two jobs Lt Gov Mr. Meyer: Polish the State Seal and maintain integrity of our elections. I haven’t seen the seal lately, so I’ll withhold comment. Election integrity, however, is another story.
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As to your assertion that every state election has been held in accordance with state law, we need look no further than the 2020 catastrophe. “State Law” requires all absentee ballots to be witnessed. How many thousands or tens or hundreds of thousands of ballots were illegally counted in that election? Whether counted by “electronic vote tabulators” or “hand count verified” illegal votes are illegal votes. And all absentee ballots with no signature verification are illegal votes.
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“No widespread fraud”… Please enlighten us lowly misinformed voters: What level of election fraud do you find acceptable?
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For now, I’ll follow your advice, and will not believe this piece of CYA disguised as genuine concern for a failed election system you have done nothing to improve.
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But hey, maybe in 4-5 years we’ll have cleaned up, verified, and accurate voter rolls, in accordance with Federal Law, and you won’t have had to do a thing to get it done.
A lie spoken a thousand times is still a lie. Alaska was sued by Judicial Watch regarding the voter registration database. Where is Lt. Gov. response showing the voter registration database has been cleaned up? Nope, all we hear is more lies!
For Nepotism Lisa’s write-in senate race – are you going to tell me that all those ballots from the Bush had verified signatures, witness signatures, and Nepotism Lisa’s last name was spelled correctly on every ballot?
Yeah, sure…
What a bunch of nonsense Kevin. No one who is paying attention believes you. The election database was hacked before the 2020 election, and you didn’t even tell anyone until weeks before the vote took place.
Election analyst Seth Keshel is on record showing serious problems with Alaska’s elections.
‘https://electionfraud20.org/seth-keshel-reports/alaska/
‘https://electionfraud20.org/seth-keshel-reports/
The fact that Dunleavy let you get away with doing nothing shows there is zero hope left for his administration.
We need to have Rep. David Eastman or Senator Mike Shower write a letter outlining what they have learned.
The other point that is amiss is that the Lt Governor is responsible for the integrity of all elections in the State, not just state run elections. Yes, I am referring to Anchorage and surrounding areas which has close to half the population of the state. He and the Governor have decided that Anchorage is a “banana republic “and are free to do what they want, even when the assembly breaks their own charter. By their way of thinking, if someone were to pay off the local government and openly break the law, the state would have no recourse but to allow it. I believe this is happening. I have not seen the State Troopers brought in yet. By limiting access to vote observers they are breaking the law. And by the Governor allowing the local government to misspend Covid funds meant to help small businesses is the same. We must remember, the 20% of us that vote, that this has been the worst administration ever in Alaska history. I am very glad that the city clerk doesn’t run the state election, but her meddling indeed affects the entire state. If we had real leadership at the state level we would not be having a problem.
Agreed, Anchorage Clerk must resign or be dragged out of her office in handcuffs! No other outcome is acceptable!
He is an incompetent fool.
A typical bureaucrat.
So tell me! If mail in ballots are so legit why are people getting double? Ballots?
Did the copier machine malfunction?
And some don’t get a ballot like me in the recent Assembly election ballot tracker said it was mailed… I never received it
The scorn and comtempt in this letter for any Alaskan constituent that questions the elections and your job performance, Lieutenant Governor, leads me to believe that you are a trash can of a human being, Meyer.
“…deploy the equipment necessary for an in-person statewide election…” Ballots. Pens. Voting booths. Lt. Governor Meyer, explain why, exactly, we have any need for voting machines of any kind here in Alaska. We have less than 800,000 people. Entire countries with numerous times the population of our state conduct elections with paper ballots and hand counts, and announce their results by the end of election day. – M.John
This seems to be the standard answer to election theft. I hope Mr. Meyers is right about our elections in alaska. We keep hearing that these machines are only tabulators but here’s what’s happening again in Georgia that also says no irregularities in their voting.
Check it out !
‘https://gab.com/Thetrumpter/posts/108531047861933339
Kevin Meyer’s legacy will forever be tarnished. Fraud did occur on his watch, and nothing he says or writes changes this fact. How disappointing.
I hand delivered my ballot to the Div. of Elections office in Wasilla. The effort was taken to make sure my “mail-in” ballot was delivered by my hand and into the “lock box” there. When I saw the Dominion Voting Machine my ballot would be processed with, I realized my vote was compromised when my ballot was processed (see “Hammer and Scorecard” by Lt. General Thomas McInerney – A REAL PATRIOT!)
Perhaps the clueless Kevin Meyer should review the CISA Alert published on June 3rd on how anyone can access and give themselves supervisory control over the Dominion Machines!
Machines made in China by the CCP, to tally our votes and report the outcome…WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
Mail in Voting started right here in muldoon with the NECC and ex Berk clan. Do not bring Binocs into Barbaras world she has been in power for a long long time. Mail in is a tool of the deepstate.
So basically he confirmed everything I believed about Alaskan elections. There are way more registered voters than eligible voters, thanks to PFD auto registration. So why shouldn’t I believe it again, Mr. Meyer?
Gee, I wonder what happens with those thousands of ballots mailed out to ineligible voters. Hmmmmmm.
Note to Kev: Accusing your constituents of misinformation won’t inspire confidence in an election system already ripe for rigging.
Remember the Great Alaska LeDoux Vote Experiment, that’s misinformation? Worked ’til Gabby got caught. Perps didn’t learn, figure how not to get caught next time? Who’s watching for LeDoux Redux?
Alaska voters can’t say with certainty whether they approved ranked-choice voting or whether, through vote-tabulating errors, ballot harvesting, and epic money infusions, RCV was approved -for- them, that’s misinformation?
Mike Porcaro’s June 23 interview with Madam Editor on election-system issues was misinformation?
Concern about mail-in ballot chain of custody is misinformation?
Did Meyer just excuse voter roll corruption by saying federal law mandates it and he can’t do anything?
Inaccurate state voter rolls can corrupt municipal election outcomes, that’s misinformation?
How is voter confidence inspired when Meyer:
…in 2020 decided to mail absentee ballot applications to voters 65 and older, but not to younger voters? Was that to help Democrat ballot harvesters grab the nursing-home votes?
…dismissed voters’ election-security concerns and certified election results on Nov. 30, knowing the online voter registration system was hacked?
…knew that 100,000 citizens’ data was hacked, but failed to tell them until after the election was certified?
About Dominion tabulators not connected to the internet:
Do they operate on proprietary, foreign manufactured software/firmware which means no one outside Dominion fully understands what these things are doing?
What’s the process which state employees use to validate Dominion software/firmware operation and security and assure fractional vote tabulation isn’t happening?
Are tabulators internet-capable, do they have USB ports or equivalent, are they ever connected to the internet and if so, how is internet traffic monitored and documented?
What prevents externally introduced malware or malfunctioning software/firmware from skewing tabulation results, how would election officials know such a skew happened?
Are tabulators under video surveillance 24/7, if so what assures video recordings aren’t corrupted, lost, or looped?
How and when do independent experts conduct forensic election system audits; who’re the auditors?
Do bipartisan election observers actually observe any of the above, and comprehend what they’re observing?
I challenge anyone to explain clearly, and precisely, the exact fact pattern in which my 4th ranked choice for a candidate would be utilized.
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