By-mail voting has become the standard in Juneau as a result of an amendment to the local election laws that was approved through Juneau Assembly on Wednesday. Juneau Assembly on Wednesday.
The city has been using mail-in votes in local elections for the past three years. The code change on Wednesday makes mail-in voting the standard “unless otherwise or otherwise directed to the contrary by Assemblyspan> the Assembly .”
Five residents opposed the idea during Wednesday’s meeting. Many were worried about the possibility of fraud during elections.
Karen Lewis said by-mail voting changed the outcome of the 2022 and 2020 elections, a claim widely disproved by experts in the national arena..
“Mail-in ballots should only be reserved for military personnel who are abroad and those who are unable to cast a vote on their own due to physical limitations,” Lewis said.
Frank Bergstrom questioned whether it would substantially increase the turnout of voters.
“If the main purpose of sending ballots via mail wasn’t met,” he asked, “What do we have to prove today for broadening that program?”
In the October of 2022, more than 33 percent of registered voters took part in the municipal elections. The figure was 31% in 2021. 43% did so in 2020. The voter turnout was 31% in the year 2019.
Assembly Member Christine Woll said it’s true the primary goal was to boost voter participation. When looking at the numbers Woll said it’s important to consider that voters are more likely to vote in highly-contested Assembly elections.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Someone has mentioned the fact that in the last election, it actually fell in comparison to the previous year,” Woll said. “You’ll also recall how the Assembly races were uncontested the previous year. .”
mayor Beth Weldon said, in her own experience, that fraud among voters isn’t a problem for Juneau.
It is a style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I do not agree with those who have spoken about the legitimacy of the election process,” the woman said. “It could be extremely difficult, especially in the city, and I don’t have the authority to be a representative of the federal or state level to cast a vote twice or something else. .”
Weldon was not averse to the resolution.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I believe the feeling Election Day is kind of sacred,” she said. “By casting a ballot by mail I think we’ve taken some attention away from how amazing it is to get out and vote. .”
The ordinance was passed by the vote of 5-2 that included Weldon And the member Wade Bryson voting no. The members Carole Triem and ‘Waahlaal Giidaak were absent.
