[onyx]

Didn’t they say they only sent out 16,000 ballots? How can there be 23,000 ballots?

Yes, I also thought I read that "they" (the election authority-whatever it's called) state that there were 16,000 outstanding absentee ballots!

Yet, now 23,000+ have been received!

I can only think that "someone" mass mailed thousands on election night to make the postmark after "someone" started to watch the returns and saw that "someone" way behind.

Do you have any other ideas to explain this dramatic increase?

[McGavin999]

The Division of Elections said Saturday that it had 23,472 ballots to process so far. Most are expected to be cast for the Republican primary race between Miller and Murkowski, but a portion will be for the Democratic primary instead. The tally includes 13,740 absentee votes, out of a reported 16,000 absentee ballots that had been requested. There are another 9,069 questioned ballots, some of which will be disqualified. Elections officials said there are also 663 early votes that still need to be counted

Ah, here's the answer.

[libbylu]

he Division of Elections said Saturday that it had 23,472 ballots to process so far. Most are expected to be cast for the Republican primary race between Miller and Murkowski, but a portion will be for the Democratic primary instead.

The tally includes 13,740 absentee votes, out of a reported 16,000 absentee ballots that had been requested. There are another 9,069 questioned ballots, some of which will be disqualified. Elections officials said there are also 663 early votes that still need to be counted.

The Division of Elections said it will determine Monday how many of the votes will be tallied in Tuesday’s initial count.

Subsequent counts are scheduled for Sept. 3 and Sept. 8.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/08/28/1429399/absentee-ballots.html#ixzz0y0tA2UFW