Here’s what to expect on Anchorage’s Election Day

files in blue bins and two election officials behind plexiglass
Just after 6 p.m., Anne Habza (left), chairman of the Loussac Library voting center, counted a total of 386 ballots collected on April 5, 2021 at her location. She said 187 ballots were dropped off in person, 169 people voted on-site, and 30 ballots were considered special handling, which includes voters that needed to change their address and also first time voters. Outside the library, vote-by-mail voters also dropped off their ballots in a secure ballot drop box. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Today is Election Day in Anchorage.

Thousands of residents have already cast their votes for mayor, four school board seats, several propositions and one Assembly member recall petition. 

If you haven’t voted yet, you can drop your signed ballot in one of the drop boxes around the city or go to one of the Vote Centers, located at City Hall, the Loussac Library and the Eagle River Town Center. As long as you are in line at a drop box or Vote Center by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by today, April 6. 

RELATED: Still sifting through Anchorage School Board candidates? Here’s where they stand on the issues.

The municipal clerk will begin to report “unofficial and incomplete” election results tonight after 8:30 p.m.

Mailed ballots, which typically make up about half the total number of ballots, have a few weeks to arrive at the elections center, so it’s possible that final results will look different from the preliminary results reported tonight. The clerk’s office will continue to report new vote counts as the ballots come in over the next few weeks. The Assembly is scheduled to certify results on April 20.

RELATED: Anchorage Election Q&A: Here’s what’s on the ballot

While the school board seats, propositions and recall petition are expected to be decided today, the mayor’s race is likely to go into a runoff if none of the 15 candidates receives more than 45 percent of the vote. City code requires runoff ballots to be sent out seven days before the runoff election on May 11, but the clerk’s office said they expect it will be much earlier than that.

If you’re still making up your mind, check out our 2021 candidate guide. Dropbox and Vote Center information is located on the city’s website.

Kavitha George is Alaska Public Media’s climate change reporter. Reach her at kgeorge@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Kavitha here.

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