Election draws early voters

With early voting having begun Oct. 20, Homer City Clerk Jo Johnson said is appears voters are eager to have their say in the upcoming general election.

“It’s been a brisk turnout, pretty much steady throughout the day,” said Johnson. “We’ve had at least 50 voters a day. It’s been very good.”

Gail Fenumiai, director of the state Division of Corrections, said that as of Oct. 24, 6,500 Alaska voters had taken advantage of early voting.

Johnson anticipates the number of early voters will increase as Election Day, Nov. 4, gets closer.

Absentee and early voting are similar, but not the same. Voting absentee in person is done at regional elections offices and at many absentee voting locations around the state. A voter’s eligibility is verified after the voter is given a ballot. Since it is not verified at the time of voting, the ballot is placed in an absentee voting envelope before being put in a ballot box.

Early voting also takes place at one of the regional election offices and “your eligibility to cast that ballot is validated right then and there,” said Fenumiai. To be eligible to vote early, a voter’s registration record must be active and current.

Voters from outside of Homer can vote early at the Homer City Council chambers.

“There are some judges I think on the ballot that wouldn’t pertain to your district, but everything that’s statewide pertains,” said Johnson.

On the southern Kenai Peninsula, absentee and early in-person voting in the 2014 general election can be done at:

Homer: Homer City Clerk’s office, 491 E. Pioneer Ave., through Nov. 3, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; ballots for House districts 29-32 available;

Nanwalek: Nanwalek Community Center, through Nov. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday or as needed; ballots for House district 32 available;

Nikolaevsk Village: Nikolaevsk School Library, Nov. 4, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., ballots for House district 31 available;

Port Graham: Port Graham Community Hall, through Nov. 3, office hours, Monday-Friday; Nov. 3, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., ballots for House district 32 available;

Seldovia: Seldovia City Clerk’s Office, through Nov. 3, office hours Monday through Friday, ballots for House district ballot 32 available.

Polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day and at the following precincts on the southern Kenai Peninsula:

• District 31

Anchor Point: Anchor Point Senior Center, .35 Milo Fritz Ave.;

Diamond Ridge: Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 201 Sterling Highway, Homer;

Fox River: Kachemak Emergency Services, 53048 Ashwood Ave., Homer;

Homer No. 1: Homer City Council chambers, 491 E. Pioneer Ave., Homer;

Homer No. 2: Homer Senior Center, 3935 Svedlund, St., Homer;

Kachemak-Fritz Creek: Kachemak Community Center, 59906 Bear Creek Drive, Homer;

Ninilchik: Ninilchik Senior Center, 66265 Aspen Ave., Ninilchik.

• District 32

Seldovia-Kachemak: Seldovia Library, 260 Seldovia St., Seldovia.