Reply #16: Official "reason" for the delay in counting? 26 probable Alzheimers cases who forgot they'd [View All]

[ProgressiveEconomist]

voted absentee in the primary and also went to the polls in person on Election Day

Seems to me it would make more sense to release preliminary counts on Election Night and make any necessary minor adjustments later for the certified count, don't you agree?

That seems to be how it was handled before this year, even though absentee ballots could and can be valid even if they don't arrive until 15 days after Election Day.

From http://www.alaskadispatch.com/tundra-talk/1-talk-of-the-tundra/282-winners-in-some-alaska-races-may-take-days-to-determine.html?tmpl=component&print=1&page= :

"Winners in some Alaska races may take days to determine

By Tony Hopfinger November 04, 2008

Alaskans may not know the outcome for some races today, including Stevens-Begich and Young-Berkowitz, because the Alaska Division of Elections will not count any of the more than 40,000 absentee ballots tonight. In past elections, the division counted some absentee ballots on Election Day and the rest afterward. But during the August primary this year, the division found that 26 Alaskans voted twice: once on their absentee ballot and again at their polling station, said Shelly Growden, the division's election systems manager. ...

"The Director of the Division of Elections, Gail Fenumiai, announced today that the division of Elections is strengthening its absentee ballot review procedures. Specifically, the division will not deem its review of absentee ballots complete until absentee voters' names can be checked against the registry of those voting at the polls on Election Day.

This cross-check cannot be done until the division receives the precinct registers used on Election Day and matches names of those who voted absentee against the precinct registers. Accordingly, the division will not be counting absentee-in-person or absentee-by-mail ballots on election night. The division anticipates completing the ballot review in time to count absentee ballots on or before the 10th day following the election.

"During the Primary election, the division determined 26 ballots were counted from voters who cast both an absentee/early ballot and voted at the polls on Election Day. Although these duplicate voters did not have an affect on the outcome of any ballot contest, the division is proactively guarding against this occurring in the future. ... Intentionally casting two ballots is against Alaska law and can be charged as a Class C felony."