Juneau sees best voter turnout in 20 years with first by mail election

Voters fill out their ballots just an hour before voting was to end in Juneau's municipal elections on Oct. 6, 2020, at Juneau Public Libraries' Valley Branch. Most voters cast their votes by mail, but some went to vote in person. (Photo by Andrew Kitchenman/KTOO and Alaska Public Media)
Voters fill out their ballots just an hour before voting was to end in Juneau’s municipal elections on Oct. 6, 2020, at Mendenhall Valley Public Library. Most voters cast their votes by mail, but some went to vote in person. (Photo by Andrew Kitchenman/KTOO and Alaska Public Media)

More than 40% of registered voters in Juneau voted in the capital city’s first by mail election. 

That’s the best turnout a local election has seen in 20 years. 

Local ballots featuring three assembly races, two uncontested school board seats and two propositions arrived in voters’ mailboxes in mid-September. Tuesday was the last day to return them.

The turnout will be even higher once mailed ballots finish arriving at the Anchorage Vote Center. The election won’t be officially certified until Oct. 20.

In the meantime, election officials are verifying signatures. 

The city partnered with Anchorage to process ballots envelopes. Juneau elections staff will fly there tomorrow to deliver the remaining ballots.

Unofficial results will come out Friday after officials do an initial round of ballot processing. 

But that still might not include all of the ballots. Another round of processing will take place Oct. 16.

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