A ballot is placed in a drop box during the City and Borough of Juneau 2022 municipal election.  (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Vote-by-mail elections now permanent in Juneau

Assembly voted for the change despite some public pushback.

Vote-by-mail elections will now be the default in Juneau after the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly voted for the continuance of the method after using it for the past three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ordinance to make the method permanent passed 5-2 Wednesday evening during a special Assembly meeting. Mayor Beth Weldon and Assembly member Wade Bryson voted against the ordinance, while members Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, Maria Gladziszewski, Greg Smith, Christine Woll voted in favor.

Assembly members Carole Triem and ‘Wáahlaal Gíídaak Barbara Blake were absent from the meeting.

The option to vote in person will still be available, said City and Borough of Juneau Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen during a previous meeting, as it was during last October’s election.

McEwen said making by-mail elections a permanent option for Juneau voters will provide more accessibility for residents who are unable to go in-person or would rather fill out their ballot in the privacy of their homes.

Five residents took to the stand before the vote Wednesday to provide public testimony on the ordinance, all of which opposed making the method permanent, with many citing election fraud as a concern.

North Douglas resident Brad Rider said he thinks the decision to make the change permanent should be up to Juneau voters, and not the Assembly.

“It doesn’t make sense to me, our other way of voting in person worked better forever,” he said, continuing. “There is nothing wrong with in-person voting, I’m totally against this.”

Another resident, Karen Lewis, said vote-by-mail elections increase voter fraud and argued it changed the outcomes of the recent 2020 and 2022 elections. Claims of widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election have been debunked by a variety of sources, including a report commissioned by former President Donald Trump. Baseless claims of fraud were less prevalent in 2022, and there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in those elections, according to federal officials.

In a recent interview, McEwen said there is little concern about any increased voter fraud activity with the permanent switch to by-mail elections as the default, as she said election officials saw no evidence of it during the past three by-mail elections.

Bryson said his vote against the change was “symbolic” and was meant to represent Juneau residents who are against the change, even though he knew the Assembly would likely pass the ordinance. He said he “liked the way things were before when everyone had to go in on Election Day” and didn’t want to see the change happen.

Weldon said she also chose to vote against the change, saying she “tolerated” by-mail voting during the COVID-19 pandemic, but said she thinks it’s important for people to all come together on one day to vote.

• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807.

More in News

The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)
Juneau man pleads guilty to murder of infant

James White pleaded guilty yesterday to the murder of 5-and-half-week-old Kathy White

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Megan Dean shakes hands with the new Arctic District commander Rear Admiral Bob Little on Friday. Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, commander of the Pacific Area, smiles. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
US Coast Guard receives new commander, new name for Alaska

The Arctic District’s new icebreaker will visit Juneau next month

City and Borough of Juneau City Hall is photographed on July 12, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire file)
Municipal election candidate filing period opens July 18

The filing period runs from July 18 at 8 a.m. to July 28 at 4:30 p.m.

The Mendenhall River roars more than 13 feet above normal levels in August 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Suicide Basin predicted to fill by Aug. 8

The change in the prediction of when the basin will fill was based on heavy rain last week

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Monday, July 14, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Ships in port for the week of July 16

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule.… Continue reading

A male sea otter pup, estimated at 2 weeks old, was rescued near Homer and admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center rehabilitation program on June 23, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
Seward’s SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list

Alaska Seaplane pilot Vance Tilley stands in front of the Piatus PC-12 in Klawock on June 23 during the inaugural trip of the new service between Juneau, Ketchikan and Klawock. (Photos by Gemini Waltz Media/courtesy Alaska Seaplane)
New Juneau-Ketchikan nonstop flight service launches

The flight leaves Juneau at 3:45 p.m., and the trip lasts 1 hour 25 minutes

Most Read