How does this year’s CBJ Municipal Election By Mail process work?

Due to COVID-19, the Juneau Assembly voted in May 2020 to hold the October 6, 2020 Regular Municipal Election by mail. All voters registered at a residence address by September 6, 2020 in the City and Borough of Juneau will be mailed a ballot at the permanent mailing address on file with the State of Alaska Division of Elections Voter Registration List. CBJ is partnering with the Municipal of Anchorage (MOA) Clerk Staff in the use of its Election Center and we appreciate the generosity of MOA in allowing us the use their Election Center equipment and their staff assistance for the conduct of this By Mail Election.

To check you current registration status and mailing address, go to: myvoterinformation.alaska.gov

How will this election process work?

Initial Mailing

• Ballots will be mailed to each Juneau registered voter on September 15, 2020 or to a Temporary Address through September 29 for applications received between September 6 and 29.

Voting Methods

• Voters will receive their ballot package containing the Official Ballot, Secrecy Sleeve with an “I Voted” sticker, and a return ballot envelope.
• The voter marks their ballot, places it in the secrecy sleeve (removing the sticker), seals it in the return ballot envelope, signs the envelope in the presence of a witness (must be 18 years or older) and has the witness sign the envelope.
• The voter then returns the ballot using one of the following methods:
  1. Places a .55 cent stamp on the envelope and returns it via USPS mail (ballots postmarked by Election Day, October 6 and received prior to final review on October 20 will be eligible to be counted), or
  2. Drops the sealed voted ballot envelope in one of the two CBJ Ballot Drop Boxes no later than 8p.m. on October 6, 2020, or
  3. Brings their ballot to one of our two Vote Centers during vote center hours or obtains a replacement ballot at one of the Vote Centers.

Ballot Review & Results

• Return ballots sent through the U.S. Postal Service are being mailed to a CBJ P.O. Box located in Anchorage and will be picked up with the beginning stages of review conducted by Municipality of Anchorage Election staff.
• Ballots returned at the CBJ Vote Centers and through the Ballot Drop Boxes will be collected, batched and go through a preliminary review process in Juneau and to ensure voter signature and witness signatures are on each envelope.
• Following the “close of polls” at 8:00p.m. on Election Day, October 6, CBJ Election Staff will collect and batch all ballots received in Juneau and will fly up to Anchorage with those ballots to begin the review and preliminary counting process.
• Ballots received and reviewed by Friday, October 9 will be counted that day.
• Ballots will NOT be counted on Election Day and the earliest preliminary results will be posted on our website on Friday, October 9.
• Ballot review and signature verification process will take place between September 21-October 20. Voter’s may receive follow-up requests related to the signature verification process from election officials anytime between September 21 and October 20.
• Final results will be made available after the CBJ Canvass Review Board conducts its review of the election on Tuesday, October 20. This work may be continued from day to day for up to three days depending on the volume of ballots/review required of the Canvass Board.

Ballots are non-forwardable, so if you will be away from your permanent mailing address, you may request that a ballot be sent to a temporary address by completing the Application to Vote at a Temporary Address. Applications to vote at a temporary address are available on our website and must be received by the Municipal Clerk’s Office by September 29, 2020, however we encourage submission by September 6 to be included in the first mailing, or as early as possible.  If you received election mail addressed to a former resident at your mailing address or anyone else not a resident of your household, please mark it as “Return to Sender – not at this address” and return it to the post office.

Each outgoing and return ballot envelope will have a barcode uniquely tied to the voter whose name is on the envelope. For this reason, each voter needs to return their ballot in their unique ballot envelope. If a voter did not receive their ballot or needs to obtain a replacement ballot package, one can be issued at one of the Vote Centers or by contacting the CBJ Election officials by calling our Election Call Center at 364-7401. Upon receipt of a replacement ballot, the election review system will only count the first ballot envelope received bearing that unique voter barcode and will prevent any other ballot envelopes with that barcode from being processed.

For more complete information about the upcoming by-mail election, including how to cast a ballot at a CBJ Vote Center or save postage by using a ballot drop box, read the Vote by Mail Frequently Asked Questions (Look under “Additional Information” and find the heading “October 6, 2020 – VOTE BY MAIL FAQS”).