That’s a lot of registered voters: According to the Division of Elections, there are 600,894 registered voters in a state that has 732,000 residents. It’s never been so high, but this is because everyone who files for a Permanent Fund dividend is automatically registered. For the record, for the 2021 dividend, there were 674,454 dividend applications and 636,895 were paid. The population last year was, according to the state, 732,670.
10 days until early & absentee in-person voting: The Division of Elections started mailing absentee ballots out today. Early and absentee in-person voting starts Monday, Oct. 24, 2022.
Knocking for Nick: Americans for Prosperity crews will be out in Kenai, Anchorage, and Wasilla on Saturday. They’ve been knocking on doors in Anchorage for weeks, but have enough volunteers to branch out.
Dunleavy and Dahlstrom: Friday night Mike Dunleavy will be at a Young Republicans event at 49th Street Brewery. Young Republicans are knocking doors and making calls to support his campaign. Tomorrow he’ll be at the Alaska Outdoor Council banquet. Will they endorse him like they did last time? The last fundraiser scheduled for Dunleavy is at the Petroleum Club on Tuesday. Dunleavy gives a keynote address on the opening day of AFN convention in Anchorage on Oct. 20.
Debates: The televised KTUU Debate for the State starts Oct. 19 at 7 pm. This event is in cooperation with KTOO and Alaska Public Media:
- Oct. 19: Gubernatorial candidates
- Oct. 26: U.S. House candidates
- Oct. 27: U.S. Senate candidates
Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) forums are next Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9:45 to 11:45 am, according to the following schedule (watch for a story about this later next week).
U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola
- Nick Begich
- Sarah Palin (Invited)
U.S. Senate
- U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski
- Kelly Tshibaka
- Patricia Chesbro
Alaska Governor
- Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy
- Bill Walker
- Les Gara
- Charlie Pierce
Konnech, which leaked voter data to China, exhibited its software in Alaska in 2013: Konnech exhibited at the annual conference of the National Association of State Election Directors in Anchorage in 2013. Now this from the New York Times: “the company, Konnech, transferred personal data on thousands of the election workers to developers in China who were writing and troubleshooting software, according to a court filing that Los Angeles County prosecutors made on Thursday.
“The filing adds new details about the arrest last week of Mr. Yu, whose company has been the focus of groups challenging the validity of the 2020 presidential election. Some of those groups have accused the company of storing information about poll workers on servers in China. Before the arrest, the company repeatedly denied keeping data outside the United States, including in statements to The New York Times.
“Los Angeles prosecutors initially accused Mr. Yu of embezzling public money by knowingly violating the terms of the company’s contract. Since searching Konnech’s offices and Mr. Yu’s home, the prosecutors have also accused him of conspiring with others to commit a crime, according to the new legal filing. It is rare for an executive to face criminal charges for potentially mishandling data. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.” More behind the paywall at the New York Times.
Josiah Patkotak big day: Rep. Josiah Patkotak’s wife Flora gave birth to what the representative describes as his “chunkiest bundle,” 9 pounds 7 ounces on Wednesday morning. She’s a she.
District 30 Republicans meet: The GOP district meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17 at Sheep Creek Lodge at 7 pm. Will they send a message to Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky over his nasty attacks on Kelly Tshibaka?
Endorsement gold: Here’s an endorsement that you don’t see every day: The Alaskan Independence Party endorsed Republican Kevin McCabe for House District 30 for Big Lake.
Birthday Events:
On Fox & Friends: Sarah Palin said Alaska is handling Putin’s nuke threats: “That’s why we need to keep are eye on Putin. That’s why Alaska, our strategic location, we’re keeping him in check. Putin and his guys trying to get in our air space. It’s our responders who are shooing him away.”
Palin on Tulsi Gabbard: Palin said she thinks Tulsi Gabbard should remain independent. “She is independent. She is what this country needs when it comes to not allowing partisanship to get in the way of just doing what’s right. If she’s start, she’ll stay independent because the Republican Party has problems of its own too, within the establishment.” Palin did not welcome the former Democrat representative from Hawaii to join the Republican Party. “I’m for independence. I’m for commonsense constitutional conservative and values and planks in a platform, and not letting the machinery on either side get in the way of doing what’s right for the people.”
Mary Peltola sighting: Peltola had lunch with Ben Stevens last week, just a few days before he died on Thursday, she noted on Twitter, saying she will miss him. Tonight she is in Ketchikan after a long weather delay and spending that time campaigning in Sitka. She will attend the Ketchikan Filipino-American Festival on Saturday.
