Anderson 

Chapter 4.04

ABSENTEE VOTING

Sections:

            4.04.010          Absentee Voting; Eligible Persons

            4.04.020          Absentee Ballots; Applications; Filing

            4.04.030          Ballot and Envelope Form

            4.04.040          Absentee Voting Procedure

            4.04.050          Absentee Ballots; Delivery

            4.04.060          Absentee Voting at Clerk's Office; Absentee Voter's Ballot

            4.04.070          Absentee Ballots; Executing Outside Municipality

4.04.080          Voting at the Polls; Absentee Voters; Surrender of Materials

4.04.090          Retention of Absentee Ballots; Delivery

4.04.100          Liberal Construction

            4.04.010  Absentee Voting; Eligible Persons.  Any qualified voter, who does not plan to vote in the city on the day of the election, may cast an absentee ballot. 

(Ord. 10-01)

            4.04.020   Absentee Ballots; Applications; Filling.

            A.       A person who seeks to vote by absentee ballot may file either in person or by mailing his/her written application to the City Clerk.

            B.       An application made by mail must be received by the Clerk not more than forty-five days, nor less than ten days before the day of the election.  An application made in person must be filed with the Clerk not more than forty-five days before the day of the election and no later than noon on the day preceding the election.  The application must be signed by the applicant and show his/her place of residence.

           C.       Upon timely receipt of an application for an absentee ballot the Clerk shall file the application and then verify the residence of the applicant by any means the Clerk deems proper.

            D.       Nothing in this section is intended to limit the City Clerk from personally delivering a ballot to a person who, because of physical incapacity, is unable to make application in person at the City Clerk's office for an absent voter's ballot.  The City Clerk may deliver an absentee ballot to a disabled person living within the City at any time until the polls close on Election Day.

            E.       The form appearing in the Appendix of Forms illustrates this application, 4-10.

(Ord. 10-01)

            4.04.030    Ballot and Envelope Form.  The ballot provided to absentee voters shall be identical to the ballots to be used on Election Day.  The ballot envelope and the return envelope shall be of heavy opaque paper.  The ballot envelope shall be marked "Ballot Envelope" and have no other marks upon it.  The return envelope shall have printed upon its back the affidavit and certification as illustrated in the Appendix of Forms, 4-11.

             4.04.040  Absentee Voting Procedure.

 A.        The Clerk shall provide each eligible absentee voter with an official ballot prepared in accordance with this ordinance together with a ballot envelope and a prepaid return envelope.  The ballot provided to absentee voters shall be identical to the ballot prepared for regular voters.

B.        The Clerk shall not issue an absentee ballot sooner than 21 days before the election.

C.       Upon issuing an absentee ballot to a voter, either by mailing or by personal delivery, the Clerk shall enter in the blank register the following information:  the number of the ballot issued, the name of the voter to whom it was issued, and the date on which the ballot was issued.  Before the opening of the polls on Election Day the Clerk shall deliver to the election judges a list of the voters who have requested to vote absentee.

D.       The Clerk may deliver an absentee ballot to a disabled person living within the City at any time until the polls close on Election Day.

E.        To be counted, an absentee voter's ballot must be post marked before the polls close in the City and be received by the Clerk prior to the time the ballots are canvassed by the election review committee.

(Ord. 10-01)

            4.04.050    Absentee Ballots; Delivery.  Upon receipt of an application for an absent voter's ballot, the Clerk shall check the latest state registration listings to determine whether the applicant is registered in accordance with Alaska Statutes 15.07.  If the applicant is properly registered, the Clerk shall deliver to the applicant, personally or by mailing to the address given by the applicant, an official ballot for the election, a ballot envelope and a return envelope.  If the absentee voter's ballot is personally delivered, the absentee voter shall secretly mark the ballot in the presence of the Clerk, in a manner which permits the Clerk to be certain that the voter personally marked the ballot, but which does not permit the Clerk to see how the voter votes.  The voter shall fold the ballot and seal it in the ballot envelope, and seal the ballot envelope inside the return envelope.  The voter shall then complete and swear to the affidavit printed on the face of the return envelope and deliver it to the Clerk.  The Clerk shall certify to the affidavit on the return envelope, write or stamp his name across its seal, and retain the envelope in his/her custody to be delivered to the canvass committee for canvassing.

           4.04.060.  Absentee Voting at Clerk's Office; Absentee Voter's Ballot.  Any voter issued an absentee ballot may, at any time prior to closing of the polls on the day of the election for which it is issued, appear at the office of the City Clerk, and there cast his/her ballot in the following manner:  The voter first shall show the City Clerk that his/her ballot has not been marked, then shall secretly mark the ballot with a pen and ink or indelible pencil in the presence of the City Clerk, in such a manner that the City Clerk cannot see how it is marked.  The voter shall fold the ballot and place it in the ballot envelope, then place the ballot envelope in the return envelope.  Then the voter shall complete and swear to the affidavit printed on the face of the return envelope, and deliver it, properly sealed, to the City Clerk.  The City Clerk shall certify to the affidavit printed on the return envelope, write or stamp his name across its seal, and retain the envelope in custody to be delivered to the canvass committee for canvassing.

              4.04.070  Absentee Ballots; Executing Outside Municipality.  At any time on or before the day of the election, any voter issued an absentee ballot may appear before any person authorized by law to administer oaths, and in the presence of such office cast his/her ballot in the same manner he would cast it in the office of the City Clerk under this section.  After writing or stamping his name across the seal of the return envelope, the officer shall return it to the voter who shall mail it to the City Clerk.

              4.04.080.  Voting at the Polls, Absentee Voters; Surrender of Materials.  If a voter issued an absentee ballot returns to the City on election day, he/she shall not vote at the polling place unless he/she first surrenders to the election board the absentee ballot, ballot envelopes and return envelopes, which shall be returned to the election supervisor by the election board with other ballots not used at the polling place.

             4.04.090  Retention of Absentee Ballots; Delivery.  The City Clerk as election supervisor shall retain all absentee ballots received in the office until the time the Canvass Committee meets to canvass the election.  At this time the Clerk shall deliver all absentee ballots received to the Canvass committee to be counted and included in the final vote tally of the election.  Absentee ballots must be received by the time of the meeting to be counted.

             4.04.100  Liberal Construction.  This Chapter shall be liberally interpreted, so as to accomplish the purposes set forth.