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March 28, 2024

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Friday, January 28, 2022

Bringing in the Vote – Boxes of Democracy

Last night while everyone was grabbing drinks at Election Central – Anchorage’s hard-working poll workers were finishing their 16-hour long day. Carts piled with boxes, voting machines and ballots were dragged into City Hall to be processed.

The City Hall parking lot was packed, so much so that some of the workers had to pay for parking in neighboring lots (one charging $15). Water bottles and chocolates were handed out by volunteers and election officials who were waiting in a line that spiraled throughout the bottom floor of City Hall.

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

City Hall - Bringing in the Ballots

Comments

comments

Comments
12 Responses to “Bringing in the Vote – Boxes of Democracy”
  1. Zyxomma says:

    Wow. Alaska’s population is so small that I believe I could count all the ballots accurately myself (with another present to keep me honest), let alone a municipal election. Good luck, Anchorage.

  2. Doug says:

    2 questions about Moe vs. Hall: (1) is there an estimated time for tentative “final” tallies? (2) Would a write-in have standing to get a recount?

  3. mike from iowa says:

    I don’t and wouldn’t know Alaska Commons from Adam’s off ox,but according to AC only 17.45% of registered Anchorage voters bothered to show up for the Muni election this year.

    • Zach Roberts says:

      I think John wrote the piece that you’re quoting. Definitely trustworthy.

      • mike from iowa says:

        John did write the piece. Not acquainted with him,have heard the name before. Is he rilly in the backyard playing with the dog at this ungodly hour?

    • Alaska Pi says:

      Alaska Commons and Mr Aronno are 2 of my favorite Alaskan treasures.
      What is super pitiful about the low voter turnout is that the Municipality of Anchorage , MOA, is a home rule city and borough. Here our state Constitution was written to give maximum governmental powers to home rule entities of which the unifed city and boroughs are top of the heap. I live in one of these critters. We tax ourselves for property, sales tax, etc and we keep it all, unlike places where it goes to the state and dribbles back to counties, et al… or not.
      We have a lot more say in how our communities are operated than the unorganized borough
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unorganized_Borough,_Alaska
      (which is over half the state land wise ) and a lot more than many other places Outside.
      Folks are actually as affected by local politics as state and federal politics – in some ways more affected- and it alternately breaks my heart and torches my shorts to see such low turnout in these local elections.

  4. JoinAK says:

    This has been exciting! All for Nick!

  5. AKblue says:

    There were 2 uncounted precincts as of yesterday. Does anyone know why these would not have been counted with the rest?

  6. akbright says:

    Nothing is as reassuring as seeing an election bag with the name “Diebold” on it.

  7. Beaglemom says:

    Well, let’s hope that none of the boxes get lost this time. One would think that there would be a more organized way of bringing in the votes.