Landmark legislation removes barriers to voting for Alaska Native communities, adds tribal IDs as valid voter identification, and creates rural election liaisons.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2026
ANCHORAGE, AK — The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), the largest statewide Native organization in Alaska, applauds the passage of Senate Bill 64, a comprehensive election reform measure, and urges Governor Mike Dunleavy to sign the bill into law without delay.
Senate Bill 64 passed the Alaska House of Representatives by a 23 to 16 vote on Monday. The bill passed the Senate concurrence vote on Wednesday by a 16-4 vote. It will now go to the desk of Governor Mike Dunleavy to be signed into law.
“This is a historic moment for Alaska Native voters,” said Ben Mallott, President of the Alaska Federation of Natives. “For too long, our communities have faced disproportionate barriers at the ballot box — from rejected absentee ballots to polling places that never open on Election Day. Senate Bill 64 is a direct and meaningful response to these failures, and we are proud to have advocated for its passage every step of the way.”
AFN, which represents a membership of 192 federally recognized Tribes, 152 village corporations, 11 regional corporations, and 11 regional nonprofit and Tribal consortiums, has been a vocal and consistent supporter of SB 64 since its introduction. AFN’s Director of Government Relations, Kendra Kloster, testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee in support of the bill and the organization has repeatedly urged its members to contact lawmakers in support of its passage.
KEY PROVISIONS THAT BENEFIT ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITIES
Senate Bill 64 includes several provisions of particular importance to Alaska Native voters and rural communities:
Tribal ID Recognition: The bill adds federally recognized tribal identification cards as valid voter identification, directly addressing a long-standing barrier for Alaska Native voters who lack access to DMV offices in remote communities.
Rural Community Liaison: The legislation establishes a state-employed rural community liaison to coordinate with tribes and municipalities, ensure polling places are staffed on Election Day, and expand early absentee voting access in remote areas.
Ballot Curing Process: SB 64 creates a notice-and-cure process allowing voters to correct minor errors on absentee ballots—such as missing signatures—before those ballots are rejected. In the 2022 special primary election, absentee ballot rejection rates approached 14 percent in rural districts, with many ballots discarded over technical issues.
Ballot Tracking: The bill establishes a secure online ballot-tracking system so that voters can follow their absentee ballot from submission through counting, increasing transparency and confidence in the process.
Voter Roll Maintenance: The legislation streamlines the process of removing ineligible voters from the rolls while protecting eligible voters from improper removal.
Paid Postage: This bill includes pre-paid postage for returning mail ballots, which is crucial given the limited hours of some post offices and the absence of post offices in certain communities.
“We must not continue to allow Alaskans to be silenced by having their ballots cast out when there are clear solutions,” said Mallott. “SB 64 ensures that more Alaskans—including those in our most remote villages—have the opportunity to exercise their constitutionally protected right to vote.”
A LONG TIME COMING
AFN has long called attention to the outsized impact that Alaska’s election system failures have had on rural and Alaska Native communities. The 2022 special election conducted by mail saw thousands of absentee ballots rejected due to deficient witness signatures, with rural communities bearing a disproportionate share of those rejections. The 2024 general election continued that troubling trend, with hundreds more absentee ballots rejected statewide.
“Election reform has been years in the making,” said AFN’s Director of Government Relations, Kendra Kloster. “AFN has testified, written letters, and mobilized our communities in support of this legislation. We are gratified that the Legislature has finally acted, and we call on the Governor to make this law and implement changes before the 2026 election.”
AFN urges Governor Dunleavy to sign Senate Bill 64 promptly so that its provisions can be implemented in time for the upcoming election cycle.
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