Election ‘monster’ slain: SB 64 dies as override fails 38-22

By SUZANNE DOWNING

May 4, 2026 – The Alaska Legislature fell short Monday in its attempt to override the governor’s veto of the complicated election legislation known Senate Bill 64, after a lengthy joint session that ended in a 38-22 vote. It was just two votes shy of the 40 needed to enact the controversial bill.

The failed override followed extended floor debate, with lawmakers mostly on the pro-override side making their final arguments on what has become one of the most contentious election bills in recent years. They filibustered until it became obvious that the old saying, “If you have the votes, vote, and if you don’t have the votes, talk,” was applicable.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, the bill’s sponsor, delivered an impassioned defense, even injecting a moment of levity by remarking, “I think you’re already smart and pretty,” in response to criticism circulating from The Alaska Story about his efforts to win over Republican support through his legendary charm. He may not still think that, now that the votes have been taken.

Wielechowski framed the legislation as the product of years of stalled election reform efforts, noting that more than 160 election-related bills have been introduced in recent years, with only a handful becoming law. He said SB 64 represented a bipartisan attempt to break what he described as a cycle of gridlock.  He even said former Sen. Mike Shower supported the bill, which he did not.

According to Wielechowski, the bill would have improved ballot tracking, allowed voters to correct minor errors through ballot curing, expanded access in rural communities, and strengthened overall confidence in election outcomes. He argued that the governor’s veto was not rooted in policy disagreements, but rather concerns about implementation challenges.

He likened the legislative effort to finishing a difficult job in Alaska, like building a road or putting a roof on a house, saying lawmakers should “power through” rather than delay the work another year. He also invoked well-known Alaska figures, including the late Susan Butcher, who he called “Suzanne Butcher,” and longtime Congressman Don Young, as examples of perseverance.

“This bill is that road,” he said, comparing the legislation to a project that should not be abandoned before completion because “Alaskans don’t quit.” Of course, Alaska has not seen a road built in 47 years.

Rep. Sarah Vance, a Homer Republican, spoke in a quavering voice in favor of overriding her own Republican governor, calling the measure a necessary step to ensure every vote is counted and to restore public confidence. She said she had faced significant criticism, bullying,  and pressure over her position but stood by her belief that she upheld constitutional principles.

In contrast, Republican Rep. Rebecca Schwanke, from rural Alaska, said she opposed the override, raising concerns about how the bill’s 10-day ballot curing window would function in remote rural communities. She also criticized provisions related to donor disclosure in ballot initiatives, saying they could obscure transparency.

Democrat Rep. Ashley Carrick supported the override, emphasizing provisions she said would benefit rural voters, including the use of tribal identification and expanded ballot curing. But then, Sen. Loki Tobin, a Democrat from urban Anchorage, also backed the override, arguing the bill would help her district most in ballot curing because of the number of mistakes her constituents make.

Sen. Mike Cronk highlighted provisions such as prepaid postage for ballots and the creation of rural election liaisons, calling them practical improvements to accessibility.

Opponents, however, said the bill weakened safeguards.

Rep. Mike Prax argued the legislation failed to address inaccurate voter rolls and could increase the risk of ballot harvesting, particularly with the removal of the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots. He also questioned whether the Division of Elections could realistically implement the changes in time.

Rep. Kevin McCabe of Big Lake delivered an impassioned critique, apologizing to all voters he said would continue to face challenges under the current system. His speech made it obvious the votes to override were not there.

Throughout the debate, both sides invoked rural access, election integrity, and voter confidence, often reaching sharply different conclusions about whether SB 64 would improve or undermine those goals.

What was never mentioned is that SB 64 was intended to prepare the way for full mail-in elections, like Anchorage has, with a curing process already in place and ready for the next round of Democrat-led legislation.

In the end, the override effort failed, leaving the governor’s veto in place and effectively killing the bill’s path forward this session.