Opinion ID: 1364196
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: voter registration

Text: Concerning voter registration, the superior court held that [i]n failing to follow the clear directive of AS 15.07.065, the lieutenant governor committed malconduct. [18] This statute provides: The lieutenant governor shall enter into reciprocal agreements or other arrangements for the exchange of voter registration information with the election officers in other jurisdictions to ensure that the state's voter registration register is accurate and up to date and to preclude a person from voting in Alaska and in another jurisdiction at the same election, thus preventing election fraud. Counsel for the lieutenant governor conceded that no formal agreements have been entered into by the lieutenant governor pursuant to this statute but nevertheless contends that the lack of formal reciprocal agreements does not constitute malconduct in the circumstances of this case. Our review of the record and the statutes implicated convinces us that the superior court erred in holding that the lieutenant governor failed to comply with AS 15.07.065 and that such noncompliance constituted malconduct on his part. Although it might have been preferable for the lieutenant governor to have made efforts to enter into formal reciprocal agreements with other states where feasible, [19] the record discloses that the lieutenant governor's staff routinely sends notices of cancellation of previous voter registration to other jurisdictions when informed by applicants that they are registered voters of other jurisdictions. It also appears that at times the registrant is given the cancellation notice card and requested to forward it to the former voting jurisdictions. The record further demonstrates that Alaska regularly receives information similar in character in return. Given the foregoing, we conclude that no basis exists for a holding that the lieutenant governor did not comply with the provisions of AS 15.07.065. [20] Additionally, the superior court observed that there had been only a perfunctory attempt on the lieutenant governor's part to comply with AS 15.07.060. [21] We have concluded that it is unnecessary to determine whether or not there is adequate factual basis for the superior court's characterization. The superior court did conclude that There is no evidence showing that any individual did, in fact, vote in Alaska and elsewhere at the same time. Pursuant to voter registration forms furnished by the lieutenant governor, the registrant is required to supply the information called for by the form itself. The only information not supplied in the form is whether the voter has previously been registered to vote in another jurisdiction. As to this information, the record indicates that registration officials routinely request this data verbally when a person seeks to register.