KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Alaska

HB320 • 2026

VOTER REGISTRATION & PFD APP REGISTRATION

An Act relating to voter registration and application for a permanent fund dividend.

Elections Energy Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
(H) STA
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not specify an exact effective date, only that it applies to filings on or after that unknown future date.

HB320: Adding Voter Registration Options to Permanent Fund Dividend Applications

This bill allows eligible Alaska residents to request voter registration by checking a box on their permanent fund dividend application form.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds an option for applicants to request voter registration when filling out the permanent fund dividend application.
  • Requires the Department of Revenue to send specific applicant information and mailing addresses to the Director of Elections if they requested registration.
  • Updates rules so that a valid PFD application with a registration request counts as a completed voter registration form without waiting 30 days after notification.
  • Allows applicants who cannot provide certain ID numbers to submit other forms of identification, such as a driver's license or birth certificate.
  • Requires the Director of Elections to mail notifications to applicants about their final registration status.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Alaska residents applying for the permanent fund dividend who want to register to vote
  • The Department of Revenue, which handles PFD applications and shares data with election officials
  • The Division of Elections, which processes voter registrations

Terms To Know

Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)
An annual payment from Alaska's oil revenue fund to eligible residents.
Director of Elections
The state official responsible for managing voter registration and elections.

Limits and Unknowns

  • These changes only apply to PFD applications filed on or after the date this law becomes effective.
  • Applicants must still meet standard voting requirements, such as being a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old (or turning 18 within 90 days).
  • The specific calendar date when these changes take effect is not listed in the provided text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 1646

    (H) REFERRED TO STATE AFFAIRS

  2. 2026-02-18 1646

    (H) STA, JUD

  3. 2026-02-18 1646

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

VOTER REGISTRATION & PFD APP REGISTRATION
An Act relating to voter registration and application for a permanent fund dividend.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0320a -1- HB 320
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1409\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 320

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE ELAM

Introduced: 2/18/26
Referred: State Affairs, Judiciary

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to voter registration and application for a permanent fund dividend." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 15.07.050(a) is amended to read: 3
(a) Registration may be made 4
(1) in person before a registration official or through a voter 5
registration agency; 6
(2) by another individual on behalf of the voter if the voter has 7
executed a written general power of attorney or a written special power of attorney 8
authorizing that other individual to register the voter; 9
(3) by mail; 10
(4) by facsimile transmission, scanning, or another method of 11
electronic transmission that the director approves; or 12
(5) by requesting to be registered as a voter on [COMPLETING] a 13
permanent fund dividend application form under AS 43.23.015. 14
* Sec. 2. AS 15.07.060(e) is amended to read: 15
34-LS1409\A
HB 320 -2- HB0320a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(e) For an applicant requesting initial registration by mail, by facsimile or 1
other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, or by 2
requesting registration on [COMPLETING] a permanent fund dividend application 3
form and including the information required under (a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9) of this 4
section, the director shall verify the information provided in compliance with (a)(2) 5
and (3) of this section through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e). If 6
the applicant cannot comply with the requirement of (a)(2) of this section because the 7
applicant has not been issued any of the listed numbers, the applicant may instead 8
submit a copy of one of the following forms of identification: a driver's license, state 9
identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or 10
hunting or fishing license. 11
* Sec. 3. AS 15.07.070(i) is amended to read: 12
(i) The division shall register voters under (j) - (m) of this section who 13
request to be registered on a permanent fund dividend application form 14
submitted under AS 43.23.015 to the Department of Revenue. The director shall 15
treat an eligible permanent fund dividend applicant as a new or updated 16
registered voter, unless the permanent fund dividend applicant who requests to 17
be registered does not provide the information required under AS 15.07.060(a)(1) 18
- (4) and (7) - (9) [SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO RECEIVE A PERMANENT 19
FUND DIVIDEND IN ACCORDANCE WITH (j) - (m) OF THIS SECTION]. 20
* Sec. 4. AS 15.07.070(k) is amended to read: 21
(k) Upon receipt of the registration information, the director shall, as soon as 22
practicable and in accordance with a schedule established by the director by rule, 23
process the registration information received and notify, by United States mail and 24
any other means authorized by the director, each applicant who requested 25
registration of the applicant's registration status [NOT ALREADY REGISTERED 26
TO VOTE] at the address provided in the applicant's application 27
[(1) OF THE PROCESSES TO 28
(A) DECLINE TO BE REGISTERED AS A VOTER; 29
(B) MAINTAIN AN EXISTING VOTER REGISTRATION 30
OR BE NEWLY REGISTERED AT A VALID PLACE OF RESIDENCE 31
34-LS1409\A
HB0320a -3- HB 320
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

NOT PROVIDED IN THE APPLICANT'S APPLICATION; AND 1
(C) ADOPT A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION; AND 2
(2) THAT FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE NOTIFICATION 3
SHALL CONSTITUTE THE APPLICANT'S CONSENT TO CANCEL ANY 4
REGISTRATION TO VOTE IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION]. 5
* Sec. 5. AS 15.07.070(l) is amended to read: 6
(l) If an applicant requests [DOES NOT DECLINE] to be registered as a 7
voter, the [WITHIN 30 CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE DIRECTOR ISSUES THE 8
NOTIFICATION, THE APPLICATION UNDER AS 43.23.015 WILL 9
CONSTITUTE A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM. THE] name of the 10
applicant shall be placed on the master register if the director determines that the 11
person is qualified to vote under AS 15.05.010, and the director shall forward to the 12
applicant a registration card. If registration is denied, the applicant shall immediately 13
be informed in writing that registration was denied and the reason for denial. 14
* Sec. 6. AS 43.23.015(b) is amended to read: 15
(b) The department shall prescribe and furnish an application form for 16
claiming a permanent fund dividend. The application must include 17
(1) notice of the penalties provided for under AS 43.23.270; 18
(2) a statement of eligibility and a certification of residency; 19
(3) the means for an applicant eligible to vote under AS 15.05, or a 20
person authorized to act on behalf of the applicant, to request that the applicant be 21
registered as a voter, to furnish information required by AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and 22
(7) - (9), and to attest [AN ATTESTATION] that the [SUCH] information is true. 23
* Sec. 7. AS 43.23.101 is amended to read: 24
Sec. 43.23.101. Voter registration. The commissioner shall establish by rule a 25
schedule by which the commissioner [WILL PROVIDE, AND] shall provide, as soon 26
as [IS] practicable, the director of elections with 27
(1) electronic records from the permanent fund dividend applications 28
with [OF] the information required under [BY] AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9) 29
[,] and the attestation that the [SUCH] information is true [,] for each permanent fund 30
dividend applicant who requested to be registered to vote and is 31
34-LS1409\A
HB 320 -4- HB0320a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(A) [IS] a citizen of the United States; and 1
(B) [IS] at least 18 years of age or will be within 90 days of the 2
date of the application; and 3
(2) the mailing addresses for all permanent fund dividend applicants. 4
* Sec. 8. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 5
read: 6
APPLICABILITY: PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND APPLICATIONS. The 7
changes made by this Act apply to permanent fund dividend applications filed on or after the 8
effective date of this Act. 9