Opinion ID: 1169818
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Scope of a Recount Appeal

Text: Election results may be considered by a court pursuant to the recount appeal provision, AS 15.20.510, and the election contest provision, AS 15.20.540. [9] This court has direct appellate jurisdiction to review recount decisions specified in AS 15.20.510. By contrast, election contests are filed in the superior court, and are heard by this court only upon review of the superior court's decision. Willis v. Thomas, 600 P.2d 1079, 1081 (Alaska 1979). The proceedings also are substantively distinct. An election contest requires a showing of malconduct, fraud or corruption of election officials, ineligibility of a candidate, or a corrupt practice sufficient to change an election result. We do not consider these issues in a recount appeal. [10] No judgment of the superior court has been appealed to this court; election contest issues are not properly before us at this time. The inquiry in a recount appeal is whether specific votes or classes of votes were correctly counted or rejected. Id. Issues this court has considered on recount appeals include the validity of punch cards and a variety of marks on ballots, the proper procedures for absentee voting and consequences for failure to follow those procedures, and registration requirements. See Finkelstein v. Stout, 774 P.2d 786 (Alaska 1989) (residency, registration, absentee ballots); Fischer v. Stout, 741 P.2d 217 (Alaska 1987) (punch card ballots, residency, registration, absentee votes); Hickel v. Thomas, 588 P.2d 273 (Alaska 1978) (marks in boxes, punch card ballots); Willis, 600 P.2d 1079 (registration, absentee votes); Carr v. Thomas, 586 P.2d 622 (Alaska 1978) (punch card ballots). [11] While recount appeals involve the counting or rejection of votes, they are not limited to determining the facial validity of the ballots. Willis, 600 P.2d at 1082. In Willis, this court reasoned that a proper review of the Director's recount decision, made pursuant to procedures set forth in AS 15.20.480, required that this court have the power to search underlying records and election materials to ensure that a vote was cast in compliance with the requirements of Alaska's election laws. Id. The search includes an inquiry into such issues as whether a voter was properly registered or was a resident of the district in which he or she voted. Id.