Alaska’s Ballot Counting System and Schedule The Counting SystemThe Counting Schedule Ballot Counting System How are Ballots Counted at the Precinct? Alaska is a paper-based ballot voting system. All voters vote a paper ballot. Alaska uses three voting methods at the precinct on Election Day. Note: Early vote, absentee in-person, by-mail, electronic transmission and questioned ballots are centrally counted according to house district. Discover what type of election equipment (pdf) is used at each precinct. Precinct Scanner Precinct scanners are typically in urban areas of the state with a larger number of voters. After voting, voters insert their ballot into the scanner. The scanner is attached to a ballot box throughout the day. When the polls close, the precinct officials end the election, the scanner tabulates the results, and a results tape for the precinct is printed. On Election Night for the Primary Election, the results are transmitted to the Director’s Office. For the General Election, the first-choice votes results are transmitted to the Director’s Office and, if subsequent counts are necessary due to Rank Choice Voting, these results are tabulated at the Director’s Office. There are 271 ImageCast precincts in Alaska. Hand Count Hand-count precincts are typically in rural areas of the state where precincts have a small number of voters. After voting, voters drop their ballot into a ballot box throughout the day. After the polls close, the precinct officials hand-count the ballots and record results on a summary sheet. On Election Night for the Primary Election, the results are called into their assigned regional elections office and the tallies are then submitted to the Director’s Office. For the General Election, the first-choice votes results are called into the regional elections office and the tallies are then submitted to the Director’s Office. If subsequent counts are necessary due to Rank Choice Voting, these results are tabulated at the Director’s Office. There are 131 hand-count precincts in Alaska. Voting Tablet Each precinct in Alaska will have a voting tablet that produces a paper ballot. The voting tablet is intended for use by voters with a disability to allow them to vote unassisted such as voters who may be blind, have limited vision, mobility issues, difficulty reading, etc. They are also for use by voters in Section 203 precincts who require language assistance. Each voting tablet has either a laser printer that prints a ballot that the voter inserts into the precinct scanner or a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) ballot printer. After the polls close for the Primary Election, the results are transmitted to the Director’s Office or called into the regional elections office who then submits the results to the Director’s Office. For the General Election, the first-choice votes results are either transmitted to the Director’s Office or are called into the regional elections office and the tallies are then submitted to the Director’s Office. If subsequent counts are necessary due to Rank Choice Voting, these results are tabulated at the Director’s Office. Ballot Counting Schedule Polling Place BallotsBallots voted at the polling place on Election Day are counted, tallied and transmitted to the statewide database Election Night after the polls close.Early Vote BallotsEarly vote ballots voted in regional elections offices through the Thursday prior to Election Day will be counted Election Night. Early vote ballots voted the Friday before Election Day through Election Day will be counted seven days after Election Day.Absentee BallotsRegional elections offices begin counting absentee ballots on Election Night for those that have been received and processed up through a certain date. Additional counts will occur after Election Day until all absentee ballots are counted. All absentee ballots must be counted no later than 10 days after the date of the primary election and 15 days after the general election and all other state conducted elections. (Applies to By-Mail, By Electronic Transmission, Absentee In-Person, Special Needs and Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots).Questioned BallotsRegional elections offices begin counting questioned ballots seven days after Election Day. All questioned ballots must be counted no later than 10 days after the date of the primary election and 15 days after the general election and all other state conducted elections.Subsequent Rounds of Tabulation in General ElectionThe Director’s Office will conduct subsequent rounds of tabulation, if necessary, following the last counting of ballots on the 15th day following Election Day.