A resolution to hand count ballots in Mat-Su Borough elections passed the Assembly on Tuesday night. The hand count will be centralized at the Mat-Su Borough building, rather than done at the precincts. Machines will still be used to count ballots, but hand counting will be done as well.
Thirty-seven people testified in favor of removing the election machines and doing only a hand count. One testifier represented 7 others, and one represented three others, for a total of 45 in favor of removing the machines, and four testifying against removing them.
At a meeting in August, when the issue was first brought up, about 65-70 people attended and 30 testified that they don’t trust the vote tabulating machines.
Assemblyman Ron Bernier said that he will introduce an ordinance to remove the voting machines. That ordinance will be introduced Oct. 4, and the public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16.
