This bill amends Alaska's election laws to enhance voter registration, residency requirements, and election administration. Notably, it removes the requirement for voters to register before the election, allowing for more flexible registration timelines. The bill clarifies residency rules, ensuring that individuals do not lose their residence status when temporarily leaving for reasons such as military service or education. It also introduces provisions for voters registering within 30 days of an election to vote using absentee in-person, special needs, or questioned ballots, even if they are not on the official registration list. Additionally, the Alaska Division of Elections is mandated to provide ballots and election materials in applicants' preferred languages, and a process for electronic cancellation of voter registration is established.

Further amendments focus on absentee voting and ballot counting procedures, including the establishment of a single commission office in municipalities with multiple house districts and the requirement for polling places to provide language assistance. The bill adjusts deadlines for absentee ballot requests, introduces a postage-paid return envelope for absentee ballots, and clarifies the counting process, allowing absentee ballots to be reviewed starting ten days before the election. It also mandates that ballots received after election day must have a tracking barcode to be counted. Other changes include a new procedure for curing uncounted ballots due to signature issues, enhanced cybersecurity measures for voter registration records, and updated publication requirements for candidate statements. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and includes various insertions and deletions to modernize existing statutes.

Statutes affected:
HB0043A, AM HB 43, introduced 01/17/2025: 15.05.010, 15.07.060, 15.07.070, 15.07.050, 15.07.090, 15.07.130, 15.20.045, 15.20.800, 15.15.370, 15.15.350, 15.20.030, 15.20.010, 15.20.220, 15.20.061, 15.20.072, 15.20.050, 15.20.064, 15.20.081, 09.63.020, 15.20.201, 15.20.203, 15.15.225, 15.07.055, 15.20.222, 15.56.030, 15.80.010, 15.58.030, 29.20.380, 29.26.050
HB0043B, AM CSHB 43(STA), introduced 05/14/2025: 15.05.010, 15.05.020, 15.15.210, 15.20.215, 15.07.060, 15.07.070, 15.07.050, 15.07.090, 15.07.130, 15.07.120, 15.20.045, 15.20.800, 15.10.105, 15.13.020, 15.15.060, 15.15.370, 15.15.350, 15.15.380, 15.15.420, 15.15.430, 15.20.030, 15.20.010, 15.20.220, 15.20.061, 15.20.072, 15.20.050, 15.20.064, 15.20.081, 09.63.020, 15.20.480, U.S.C, 15.20.201, 15.20.203, 15.15.225, 15.07.055, 15.20.222, 15.56.030, 15.80.010, 15.58.030, 19.25.105, 24.45.091, 29.20.380, 29.26.050, 39.50.020, 15.25.030