Sec. 15.07.064. Information required for voter registration.

AK Stat § 15.07.064 (2019) (N/A)
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(a) A voter requesting registration or reregistration shall provide the director with sufficient information to determine

(1) the location of the residence of the voter within the district;

(2) the precinct in which the voter is qualified to vote;

(3) the other local or regional election jurisdictions in which the voter is eligible to vote.

(b) In determining the sufficiency of the registration information provided by the voter in an application to register, the director may consider

(1) whether the voter is applying in person, by mail from a location within the state, or by mail from a location outside the state;

(2) the location, size, or density of the population within the municipality, established village, or geographic area in which the voter claims residence;

(3) whether the municipality, established village, or geographic area has been divided into precincts or local or regional election subdivisions;

(4) whether specific locations within the municipality, established village, or geographic area have been identified by street name, subdivisions, or other commonly known official descriptions; or

(5) other circumstances considered significant by the director.

(c) A voter requesting registration in a municipality or established village that has been divided into more than one precinct or that includes more than one section of a local or regional election subdivision shall provide the director with information that describes the location of the residence of the voter. In this subsection, the use of a post office box, a postal service center box, a rural route number, general delivery, or other description identified only as a mailing address does not establish the residence of the voter. In addition to the name of the municipality or established village, the voter shall provide the director with information that describes a physical location that may be

(1) a street name, including a number on the street if one exists;

(2) a highway name and mile post number;

(3) a mobile home court and space number;

(4) a boat harbor and slip number;

(5) the name of a subdivision;

(6) the name of a building, institution, military or other reservation for which the location is fixed; or

(7) another descriptive phrase from which the specific physical location of the residence of the voter within the municipality or established village can be determined.

(d) The director is not required to request a voter who claims residence within a municipality or established village to provide the information required under (c) of this section if

(1) the municipality or established village is entirely within a single precinct; and

(2) a local or regional election subdivision is not divided into sections within the boundaries of the municipality or the area of the established village.

(e) The director shall review the information contained within an application by a voter for registration. The director may not reject an application of a voter who qualifies under (d) of this section because the voter provided information in excess of that required to establish qualifications, including excess information qualifying as a mailing address. The director may consider an application for registration within a municipality or established village described in (d) of this section to comply with law based on other information contained in the application, including evidence that

(1) the application was made in person before a voting registrar, election official, or absentee voting official appointed to serve in the municipality or established village;

(2) the application of a voter registering by mail was postmarked by the postal official in the municipality or established village; and

(3) other information contained in the application does not negate the presumption of residency provided under (a) of this section.

(f) A voter who resides in a building, institution, military or other reservation may establish residency for voting purposes by naming that place instead of naming a municipality or established village. In this subsection the use of a post office box, a postal service center box, a rural route number, general delivery, or other description qualifying as a mailing address does not establish the residence of the voter. The director is not required to request a voter who claims residence by naming the building, institution, military or other reservation to provide the information required under (c) of this section if

(1) the physical location of the place named in the application is fixed; and

(2) the place named in the application is contained within the boundaries of a single precinct.

(g) Notwithstanding (a) - (f) of this section, the director may substitute a mailing address provided by the voter for the permanent fund dividend program under AS 43.23 as the mailing address for the voter on the registration records of the director under procedures specified in regulations of the director if necessary to maintain accuracy of voting registration records.

(h) In this section, “established village” means an unincorporated community that is in

(1) the unorganized borough and that has 25 or more permanent residents; or

(2) an organized borough, has 25 or more permanent residents, and

(A) is on a road system and is located more than 50 miles outside the boundary limits of a unified municipality, or

(B) is not on a road system and is located more than 15 miles outside the boundary limits of a unified municipality.