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Assembly postpones elections ordinance as residents, volunteers press questions about machines and poll-watching
Summary
Public commenters and election volunteers raised questions about voting machines, ballot security and poll-watcher rules during audience participation. The Assembly postponed Ordinance 25-012 for further work and directed further review.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly postponed consideration of Ordinance 25-012 — a rewrite of local election rules — after extensive public testimony and questions about voting machines, hand counts, poll watchers and early ballot handling.
Multiple residents and long-time election volunteers spoke during audience participation, arguing for “hand count only” procedures, seeking transparency about the acquisition and use of tabulation equipment and asking for detailed explanations of how ballots and scanned images are handled. Tom Robertson, a former state registrar, described the public value of retaining physical paper proof of votes and said that volunteer poll workers form “the backbone to [the] election system.” Other speakers reported difficulties with tabulator machines when testing them in local precincts and urged the Assembly to maintain a hand-count approach.
Several speakers asked the clerk’s office for records related to scanners and tabulation hardware and described delays or incomplete records from public-records requests. Clerk Lonnie responded during public comment that, “two weeks ago, at our assembly meeting, the ordinance that was passed removed anything that had to do with a voting machine, a tabulation machine, and a counter” and that the clerk’s office could provide copies of the legislation and meet with interested residents.
The proposed ordinance also included updated poll-watcher rules and a confidentiality oath for persons involved in early counting. Assembly members and staff debated those provisions during the meeting. Some Assembly members and the clerk said the borough still needs more election workers and that early-count staffing had presented volunteer-supply problems in past elections.
After discussion and requests for more time to refine language—particularly on poll-watcher authorization, limits and safeguards—the Assembly voted to postpone further action on Ordinance 25-012 and return it to unfinished business for March 18. The clerk and attorney indicated they would work with Assembly members on clarifying language and with the public to address operational concerns raised during audience participation.
No formal change to current election operations was announced at the meeting; the clerk stated that accessible voting machines for voters with disabilities remain available where required by law.
