Alaska governor vetoes major election reform bill, citing 'burdens'

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) vetoed a major bipartisan election reform bill Thursday, citing the “operational burdens” that would come with implementing the changes so close to November’s elections. “Taken as a whole, the bill would impose significant operational burdens on the administration of Alaska’s elections during an election year in which several statewide contests will occur,” Dunleavy wrote in a letter to the Alaska House Speaker and state Senate president explaining his veto. The Republican governor said the state government’s Division of Elections warned the changes “would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to implement securely and reliably in advance of the 2026 elections.” Alaska is holding elections this year for governor, lieutenant governor, Congress and the state Legislature. “Alaskans need an election process that is simple, understandable, secure, and implemented with sufficient time for the Division to make necessary changes,” Dunleavy continued in his statement. The bill — the result of a decadelong bipartisan effort — would allow voters to track their ballots to ensure they’ve been received and counted. Voters would then be allowed to correct minor errors that otherwise could result in their ballots being rejected.