Rep. Jeremy Bynum

Elections Bill Update:

SB 64 was the election bill passed by the Legislature and vetoed by the Governor. It included several meaningful reforms, including stronger voter-roll maintenance, clearer reporting on PFD voter-registration data, prepaid absentee ballot return envelopes, additional penalties for election-law violations, a rural liaison, and language specifically codifying identification issued by a federally recognized tribe as an acceptable form of voter ID. Tribal ID is already allowed under current law, but spelling it out directly in statute would make the law clearer for voters, poll workers, and election officials.

One of the Governor’s main concerns was not necessarily the policy goal, but the implementation timeline. SB 64 required ballot tracking and curing to be in place for the 2026 general election, and the Division of Elections raised concerns about whether there was enough time to procure, build, test, and implement that system before September 19, 2026.

HB 390 is the Governor’s replacement bill. The bill does need a few technical corrections, however, it has nearly identical election-reform concepts, but delays ballot tracking and curing until 2027 and adds true signature verification for absentee ballot signature validation, which 40% of Alaska uses in municipal elections. In plain terms, instead of relying mainly on a witness signature, the voter’s ballot signature would be checked against the voter’s signature already in voter registration records, using a formal process that includes signature comparison software, trained election officials, notice to the voter, and an opportunity to cure if there is a missing or mismatched signature.

That change strengthens the bill because it moves Alaska toward a more direct verification model: verifying the actual voter. It would align Alaska with 32 states (plus Puerto Rico) for signature verification for absentee ballots.

My recommendation is that if Alaska adopts true signature verification, then the witness signature requirement should be removed. Requiring both true signature verification and a witness signature is duplicative. The cleaner policy is: voter signature required, true signature verification required, ballot tracking required, cure process required, witness signature removed. That keeps election security focused on whether the ballot came from the voter, while reducing the risk that a lawful ballot is rejected because of a technical witness-signature issue.

The real question now is whether the Legislature wants to preserve the positive parts of this bill for the next election, including stronger voter-roll maintenance, a rural community liaison to help improve election access and precinct staffing in rural Alaska, clearer penalties for violations of election law, prepaid absentee ballot return envelopes, and clear statutory recognition that tribal ID is an acceptable form of voter identification, even though it is already allowed under current law.

Then, for future elections, Alaska will add true signature verification, remove the duplicative witness-signature requirement (by amending the bill), and implement ballot tracking and ballot curing. That would give Alaska a stronger, cleaner, and more voter-focused election process.

Alaska State Legislature Amendments that are adopted are incorporated into the next version of the bill. PDF versions of the amendment may have slight variations from the Journal entry. The Journal should be considered the authoritative version.

This week in House Finance, I offered an amendment to HB261, it would have applied a three-year average concept more consistently by also including intensive-needs students. My goal was to create a more predictable and stable formula for districts, not just for general enrollment, but also for one of the most expensive and difficult-to-budget student categories.

That amendment would have increased the bill’s fiscal impact beyond the reported $113 million fiscal note. This additional funding was estimated at more than $40 million.

The bill sponsor rejected the amendment because of that added cost. I understand the concern, because $40 million-plus is a significant additional funding obligation for the state. At the same time, the discussion highlights an important point: if we are going to change the school funding formula to improve stability, we need to fully understand both the policy benefits and the fiscal consequences.

Bill aimed at stabilizing school district budgeting process proceeds through Legislature A bill that aims to bring stability to the school budgeting process made its way out of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.

Today, I voted to sustain the veto of Senate Bill 64.

This was not an easy decision. The bill included provisions I strongly supported, especially around ensuring tribal identification is clearly recognized for voting. That said, I believe it’s critical that any changes to our election system are implemented carefully and correctly.

Tribal ID is already accepted under current law, and I’ve received assurances that additional training and outreach will make that clearer for both voters and poll workers.

At the same time, the Division of Elections raised legitimate concerns about the timeline and implementation of this bill, concerns I shared throughout the process. Protecting trust in our elections must come first.

I remain committed to working with my colleagues to pass a revised bill this session that gets this right, strengthening voter access while ensuring a smooth, well-administered election.

My full release is attached.

Previous post on March 23:
https://www.facebook.com/share/18ZL3Ry4Ag/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Thank you!

Two of the biggest names in Alaska cruising are stepping up for Ketchikan. Princess Cruises and Holland America Line just committed $175,000 to help rebuild Joseph T. Craig American Legion Post 3, the state's oldest American Legion post, destroyed by arson in 2023. Both brands have pledged ongoing support in the years ahead.

Read more here: https://cruisenews.com/princess-holland-america-ketchikan-american-legion-post-3-rebuild/

Please join me for coffee and conversation tomorrow morning, Saturday the 18th, at the Landing Restaurant. I hope you can stop by!

Quick heads up:

HJR 37 will be heard today in House Tribal Affairs. This resolution focuses on marine debris cleanup across Alaska, including prevention, removal, and backhaul challenges in rural and coastal communities.

This effort is being strongly supported at the federal level, including work led by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and there’s a request for formal legislative support through this resolution.

We’ll be giving a brief presentation today outlining the scope of the issue and ongoing cleanup efforts.

For reference:
https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/?Root=HJR%2037

It’s always great seeing our local businesses grow!

Happy Easter.

Wishing everyone a day of renewal, hope, and time well spent with the people who matter most. Grateful to live in a place where community still means something.