When Alaska Counts Your Ballot Depends on How You Voted

Ballot counting in Alaska is a multi-stage process that varies significantly based on how and when a voter cast their ballot. While some results were available on Election Night, the state’s Division of Elections will continue tabulating ballots—including early, questioned, and absentee votes—through mid-November to ensure every valid vote is included.

The Election Night Baseline

For Alaskans who voted in person on Election Day, the path to a final tally is relatively straightforward. If you used a machine-scanned ballot at a precinct, your results were transmitted directly to the Director’s Office. For those at hand-count precincts, the process required regional election offices to call in first-choice results on Tuesday night before submitting them to the state. Those who utilized voting tablets saw their ballots either scanned on-site or transmitted to regional offices for processing. As reported by KTUU, these initial tallies have been transmitted to the state, though the unique nature of Alaska’s election system means the count is far from finished.

Ballots Cast After October 29 Face Processing Delays

Ballots cast at regional election offices through October 29 were processed on Election Night, but those who cast early votes between October 30 and November 2 face a delay. According to the Division of Elections, these specific ballots are scheduled to be counted on November 10.

The Questioned Board is also on a distinct schedule. These ballots, which require additional verification, will undergo review starting this Thursday, with the final count for these votes also set for November 10.

Deadlines Approach for Absentee and Overseas Ballots

The clock continues to tick for absentee voters, particularly those mailing their ballots from outside the state or country. The Division of Elections has set clear deadlines for receipt to ensure these votes are counted:

Division of Elections prepares to count ballots under heightened scrutiny

November 13: Deadline for absentee ballots mailed within the U.S. and its territories.
November 18: Deadline for absentee ballots mailed from overseas addresses.

Because of these incoming mail-in ballots, regional offices are currently engaged in a rolling count that will persist throughout the week. The state has mandated that all ballots be fully accounted for by November 18, which marks 15 days since the polls closed.

Why the Wait Matters

If ranked choice voting requires subsequent rounds of tabulation, the Director’s Office will handle those calculations after the initial counts are finalized. This means that even after the November 18 deadline for the initial count, the Division of Elections may conduct additional rounds of tabulation if necessary to determine a winner.

The state has set a target date of November 25 to certify the election results, with a final deadline for any potential recount requests falling on December 5.