Senate to fast-track elections bills; committee to consider ballot‑curing, registration and audits

Senate State Affairs Committee Chair Senator Kawasaki told reporters in Juneau the committee will begin hearings this Thursday on two elections bills: one from the governor and one from the Senate Rules Committee.

Kawasaki said both measures include similar elements such as a ballot‑curing process, data protection notifications and cyber‑security requirements for the Division of Elections. "Many of the elements are similar and the same...we have in the bill from rules a ballot curing process," Kawasaki said.

Nut graf: Lawmakers said they want to reduce disenfranchisement by allowing voters to correct common errors on mailed ballots, improve registration accuracy and require post‑election risk‑limiting audits.

Kawasaki described ballot curing as a practice used in about 30 other states that lets election officials confirm whether a voter who made a mistake intended to vote rather than discarding the ballot. She said the bills also propose registration checks against annual Permanent Fund Dividend filings and risk‑limiting audits to improve result confidence.

Senator Lukowski and others said a recent court verdict involving ballot curing does not remove the perceived need for statutory reform. "The court said they're not entitled to it, but if the legislature were to do something we could have it," a senator said, arguing for a statutory fix so individual voters would have the same cure rights that had been allowed for ballot initiatives.

Senators said the goal is faster, more secure and more inclusive election operations and to give the Division of Elections clearer statutory authority to cure individual ballots. They also cited interest in ensuring timely results and protecting against cyber threats.

Ending: Senator Kawasaki said the Senate aims to move the bills quickly so the House can take them up and newly seated members can review the changes this session.