With a ballot measure to simplify voter registration ready to move ahead, the Walker administration says its own online effort already is bringing results, signing up hundreds of new Alaska voters in less than two months. Alaska launched its online voter registration system at the end of November with the goal of increasing access to the ballot. Since then, 592 voter registrations have been completed, said Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, who oversees the state Division of Elections. The division on Monday announced the new online voter registration system and the hiring of a new language assistant manager for Yup’ik and Gwich’in voters. Also new this year: a connection between voter registration and Permanent Fund dividend applications. Alaskans can click a link to register to vote after they finish their PFD application.
Backers of a separate PFD voter campaign praise the state’s work, but say they want to make registering to vote even easier by making it automatic when people apply for their annual PFD.
“We’re just thrilled beyond anything that the improvements are being made,” said Kim Reitmeier, co-chair of the PFD Voter Registration ballot initiative and president of a group that represents the chief executives of regional Alaska Native corporations.
Full Article: New online Alaska voter registration in place; PFD initiative backers want more | Alaska Dispatch News.