Are you registered to vote? Deadline is Sunday

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The deadline to register to vote is fast approaching for Alaskans.

Eligible voters have until Sunday at 11:59 p.m. to register online to vote.

Alaskans can also register by filling out a form in person at the nearest DMV, local library, city hall, or Division of Elections office.

That form must be submitted by Sunday’s deadline.

“By Alaska State law, you have to be registered within your district 30 days prior to an election, and so if they don’t meet the deadline, they’re not going to get a full count on their ballot,” Heather Dittman, the division’s regional assistance supervisor, said. “They could still vote for the presidential race, though.”

Those wanting to register online must have an Alaska Drivers license or state ID.

That is not needed, Dittman said, to register to vote in person.

“[The form is] very easy,” Dittman said. “It’s just asking for your basic information. We’ll need your name, your residence address, and just a few other pieces of simple information.”

Registering to vote only takes about five minutes, she said.

The deadline also applies to voters who turn 18 after the Oct. 6 deadline and the Nov. 5 election date. Alaskans who are still 17 can still apply to register to vote 90 days out from their birthday.

Jeffrey Congdon, the Region II Election Supervisor for the Alaska Divisions of Elections, said that residents cannot legally cast a vote until they are 18 years old.

“And so keep that in mind, if your birthday is prior to Nov. 5, if you’re 18 before Nov. 5, go ahead and register to vote now so that you can vote in this presidential election,” Congdon said.

Voters can also check their registration status online to ensure it is up to date. Changes to a permanent address, could mean voters need to update their voter registration.

“If their district has changed, they’re going to want to update that by the Oct. 6 deadline to make sure that they get a full count on their ballot,” Dittman said. “Your registration should be good to go, but if you want to check, you can call any of our regional offices. You can also check that on our website.”

Ballots are set to be mailed out on October 11th. Voters will also have until October 26th to submit an absentee ballot request. Polls open on November 5th from 7 am to 8 pm for election day.

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