Valley voters turn out for early voting

MAT-SU — Nearly a quarter of all Valley residents cast their votes prior to Election Day on Nov. 3.

Featuring races for local, state, and Federal elected offices, voter turnout in Alaska has dramatically increased with alternate methods. As of the Alaska Division of Elections most recent report on Nov. 2, 152,585 ballots have already been voted and returned of the 194,515 that were issued. There were 119,310 absentee by mail ballots issued and 86,066 have already been returned. Of the 15,490 online delivery ballots requested, 6,938 have been returned. Of the 73 fax ballots requested, 29 have been returned. All 258 of the 258 special needs ballots have been cast and returned. There have been 45,971 votes cast early in person.

In the Mat-Su, 12,604 early ballots have already been cast, accounting for more than a quarter of all early votes cast in the state thus far. There have been 13,641 absentee ballots returned already in the Valley, totaling 25,245 ballots that have been cast by Mat-Su residents before Election Day. Early votes will be counted and tallied with the Election Day votes and reported Tuesday night by the Division of Elections. Absentee Ballots will not begin being counted until Nov. 10.

There have been 2,789 early ballots cast in House District 7 and 1,714 absentee ballots have been returned of 2,598 that were distributed. House District 8 saw 1,928 early votes and 1,736 absentee ballots have been returned and accepted of 2,549 that were distributed. House District 9 saw 1,382 early votes and 2,444 absentee ballots have been returned and accepted of 3,024 that were distributed. In House District 10, 1,703 early ballots were cast and 2,795 absentee ballots have been returned and accepted of 3,089 that were distributed. In House District 11, 2,895 early ballots were cast and 2,148 absentee ballots have been returned and accepted of 3,047 that were distributed. In House District 12, 1,907 early ballots were cast and 2,804 absentee ballots have been returned and accepted out of 3,454 distributed.