Daily Sitka Sentinel

City Clerk Prepares For Surge in Voting

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer

The city clerk’s office is reporting an uptick in interest this year from voters wanting to cast absentee ballots in the municipal election, which will be held October 6.

“We’ve certainly seen an increase in the number of people looking at voting by mail and advanced voting in person,” City Clerk Sara Peterson said today.

In-person advanced voting starts Monday, Sept. 21, at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, through 4:30 p.m. October 5.

Peterson said the number of residents asking for mail-in and fax ballots this year is more than triple the total number from 2019, with more requests coming in daily. Last year’s municipal election drew a total of 38 ballots by mail and fax. This year, 168 applications for advanced voting have already been received, and the number is rising. Peterson said today that she has received 20 requests since Friday alone.

“I anticipate it will be quite a bit more,” she said.

The last day to request a mail-in ballot is September 29. A request form can be obtained from the clerk’s office at city hall or downloaded from the city website (cityofsitka.com).

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by election day; ballots may be submitted by fax up to 8 p.m. election day.

Peterson said advanced voting has been increasing the past two or three years, but voters are telling her that COVID-19 also is playing a role in their decisions this year.

“Everyone has their own comfort level with what’s going on,” she said. “I want people to be able to vote using the option they feel the most comfortable with.”

The advance voting at Harrigan Centennial Hall will have COVID-19 precautions in place, Peterson said, including six-foot distancing between booths and in the lines to show ID, fill out an application and pick up a ballot.

In advanced voting, as well as on election day, booths and pens will be sanitized after use, masks will be recommended – but not required – and polling officials will wear masks, Peterson said. The city requires masks to be worn in city buildings if six-foot distancing cannot be maintained.

“We’re ready to accommodate folks, we’re staffed for it and have everything organized, but it’s hard to know what to expect,” Peterson said.

She said the city has purchased an ADA-accessible machine that will help those with visual impairments to vote in advance or on election day at Harrigan Centennial Hall.

The Image Cast X (ICX) allows voters to read the ballot in larger font on a screen, or hear the ballot read aloud through headphones. A polling official will help with instructions, as needed, Peterson said. A wheelchair-accessible booth will be available.

Those who asked for ballots by mail for the general election need to fill out another form for the city election, she added.

The results of in-person voting will be posted after the polls close on October 6. Because of the higher than usual volume of absentee voting, the counting of those ballots will start the next day at Centennial Hall, with results displayed throughout the day on a screen in the auditorium, Peterson said. She said late-arriving mail-in ballots will be counted the Friday after the election, October 9, as usual.

Election results will be unofficial until they are certified at the October 13 Assembly meeting. Newly elected Assembly officials will be sworn in under “new business” at that meeting, and the new School Board members will be sworn in at the board’s first meeting after October 13.

Running for mayor are Gary L. Paxton and Steven Eisenbeisz. 

There are eight candidates on the ballot for Assembly (2 seats open): Steve Lee, Diana Dapcevich, Crystal Duncan, Leo Jimmy, Frederick Olsen Jr., Marshall Albertson, Amy Bethune and Rebecca Himschoot.

Running for School Board (two seats open) are Blossom J. Twitchell, Cass Pook and Andrew Hames.

Candidate statements and a sample ballot are available on the city webpage, and the Sentinel will publish candidate statements September 30 and October 2.