Dear Neighbors,

For many years, I’ve been working to modernize Alaska's elections. In 2017, I put forward House Bill 1, which included same-day voter registration, the use of electronic signatures, and permanent absentee voting. After eight hearings in the House State Affairs Committee, the bill passed the Alaska House of Representatives in April 2017 by a vote of 22-18. Unfortunately, the next year the bill received only one hearing in the State Senate and was never heard again.

In 2019, I tried to pass an election bill. House Bill 115 was a much simpler bill that would have authorized an optional and voluntary permanent absentee voting system in Alaska. The bill passed the House in February 2020 by a vote of 24-15. Despite my best efforts, the bill was never heard in the Senate and never put up for a vote. 

Last year, I decided to try once again by introducing House Bill 66, which includes many of the great provisions from the earlier election bills. HB 66 was just one of many bills introduced in the current legislature to change Alaska's election system.

House Bill 66 passed the House Judiciary Committee in April of last year and is now in the House State Affairs Committee. I have been working with members of the House, Senate, and the Dunleavy administration to craft a comprehensive piece of legislation with a shared goal to empower voters to participate in free, fair, and secure elections. 

Finally, after a tremendous amount of work and some contentious negotiations, a new compromise version of the bill will be introduced today in the House State Affairs Committee. The new version of the bill includes many of the provisions originally in HB 66 along with several of the good provisions out of Senator Mike Shower’s Senate Bill 39 and the election bill introduced by Governor Dunleavy.

The new version of House Bill 66 is a good bill that will help modernize Alaska’s elections by stressing security, accessibility, and consistency. If you are interested in how elections are conducted in Alaska, you can watch today’s hearing at 3:00 p.m. on the Alaska State Legislature’s website or Gavel Alaska. The bill will be heard again at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.   

I’m here for you. I welcome your input and ideas. Call my office at (907) 465-2095 or send me an email to Rep.Chris.Tuck@akleg.gov.

Warm regards,
House Bill 66 - What Does It Do?
HB 66 allows those whose absentee ballots are rejected due to a minor mistake an opportunity to cure (fix) those mistakes.

HB 66 includes a new permanent absentee voting system.

HB 66 allows for same-day voter registration in Alaska, even on election day.

HB 66 would set up a new system for ballot security and chain of custody for all ballots.

HB 66 calls for the creation of a toll-free election offense hotline.

HB 66 eliminates the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots.

HB 66 includes signature verification for voters who vote an absentee ballot.

HB 66 calls for the use of forensic and risk-limiting audits.
Today is Alaska Agriculture Day
Support agriculture in Alaska by buying products made in Alaska. 

  • Look for the Alaska Grown label and visit businesses that support Alaska Grown products. 
  • Visit www.buyalaskagrown.com to find farmer’s markets, stores, and retailers that support Alaska Grown.

Celebrate Alaska Agriculture Day at the Spenard Food Truck Carnival. 

  • Participating food trucks will be using Alaska Grown products.
  • When: Tuesday, May 3 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Where: 2435 Spenard Rd., Anchorage
Register to Vote in the Special Election
The Special Primary Election for Alaska's seat in Congress will be held on June 11.

  • The deadline to register to vote in the Special Primary Election is Thursday, May 12.
  • The election is being conducted by mail.
  • Ballots are being mailed to all registered voters in Alaska.
  • All ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.