Miller Expresses Absentee Ballot Concerns

Republican US Senate candidate Joe Miller says the Alaska Division of Elections is not telling his campaign necessary absentee ballot information.

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By Alexis Fernandez

Story Created: Feb 21, 2011 at 2:56 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 21, 2011 at 2:56 PM AKDT

Original article posted Nov. 6, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTVA-CBS 11 News) Republican US Senate candidate Joe Miller says the Alaska Division of Elections is not telling his campaign necessary absentee ballot information.

Miller's campaign claims the Division of Elections keeps changing the rules, and did not inform officials of Friday's absentee ballot validation, instead hearing about it from another Republican one hour after the process began. 
 
In a press release, Miller says Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai said it was not common practice to notify candidates or parties about review dates. However, Miller says in the DOE "Elections Observers' Handbook" it clearly states campaigns must be notified 24 hours in advance of the time of ballot reviews.  
 
"Our goal is to uphold the integrity of the voting process," Miller said in a statement. "Every vote that is cast correctly should be counted. All Alaskans deserve a free, open and fair election. Unfortunately, the state division of elections has decided to call that process into question with the constant maneuvering of dates and procedures." 
 
Miller went on to say, "The State of Alaska has a statutorily defined election process, anything or anyone that deviates from that process is unsettling. It is fundamental that the public be informed of the ballot review schedule in advance. Our democratic voting process has at its foundation the Constitution and the statutes of this state, and any manipulation of this process for the purposes of expediency or convenience compromises those principles."
 
Fenumiai did not return request for comment by the time of this article's publication, and in an email Miller campaign spokesperson Randy DeSoto said no one was available to make comment.

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