Mail trouble canceled some Alaska primary votes in Western Alaska

Members of the Alaska State Review Board are seen reviewing precinct ballot counts following the primary election on Aug 26, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
About 1 in 30 absentee ballots cast in Alaska’s August primary election were rejected for procedural errors, according to data published this month by the Alaska Division of Elections.
The 3.4% rejection rate for absentee ballots was almost double what it was in the 2024 general election but it was below the record high 4.