By Alex Koplin
For many voters, going to the polls on Election Day is tradition. You may remember the first time you voted, or when your parents took you to watch them vote. Voting in person is what most people do. You will need to bring some form of identification. This can range from a voter registration card to a utility bill. You can refer to the websites of the Alaska Division of Elections, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Elections or your local city elections to get further information.
But there are other ways to vote than just going to the polls on Election Day.
In-person absentee voting is when you are voting early, but you are using an absentee ballot to vote with. There are a limited number of early voting sites, so make sure that you know what is available in your area. This begins 15 days prior to the election. This year you can cast your ballot if you live in one of the areas that has early voting on Sept. 21.
Voting by electronic transmission is a good method for those who aren’t sure where they will be for the election. You will need to register 15 days before the election for this way of voting, internet connection and the correct equipment will be needed for this.
You can use special needs balloting if you are unable to vote because of age, serious illness or disability. When using this method, a personal representative will pick up a ballot for you. Again, questions should be directed to election websites if you haven’t used this method of voting before.
And finally, if you go to the polling station, they might have a problem identifying you on the precinct register. It could be a name change, an address change, or some other reason. They will give you a question ballot and once it is reviewed, it will be either be accepted and counted, or you will be notified about why it wasn’t counted.
So, as you can see, there is more than one way to vote and having options and choices that can best serve you makes sense.
Remember, every vote counts and every voice matters!
Alex Koplin is a founding member of Kenai Peninsula Votes.
