Palmer early voting location reopened after COVID closure

PALMER — The Mat-Su Valley only had one early voting location open over the weekend, but the polling location in the Dorothy Swanda Jones Mat-Su Borough building reopened on Monday after closing Friday due to a positive COVID-19 reported to a poll worker.

As of Monday, Mat-Su residents who wish to vote early can cast their ballots at the Wasilla Public Library or the Borough building in Palmer. The Palmer location was closed for disinfecting over the weekend.

“The state and the Mat-Su Borough, they will have masks there for voters if they so choose to do that, they will have [Personal Protective Equipment] there for election officials and the public so there will be plenty of hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies,” said Mat-Su Borough Clerk Lonnie McKechnie. “The public and the precinct officials will have gloves there should they choose to use those. We will have a whole bunch of different pens that will be cleaned.”

The Wasilla mayoral runoff election will be taking place in Wasilla on Tuesday at Wasilla Middle School and City Hall, while early ballots for the state and national elections can be cast at the Wasilla Library. Absentee ballots will not be counted by the Division of Elections until seven days after election day, but early voting numbers will be counted on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Absentee by mail ballots may be returned to Houston City Hall, Talkeetna Public Library, Tok Library, Trapper Creek Public Library, and the Wasilla Public Library. The absentee by mail drop off station in Palmer is located at the back of the borough building parking lot behind the Palmer Senior Field.