Alaska governor vetoes election bill over 'significant operational burdens'

The bipartisan legislation vetoed by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy would expand voter ID and allow voters to track their ballots.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a major election reform bill Thursday, citing “significant operational burdens” and unspecified legal challenges.

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The bill, at least a decade in the making, sought to allow absentee and other voters to track their ballots and see when they had been received and counted.

It also sought to expand acceptable voter identification, modify voter roll maintenance, change the absentee ballot timeline and create a rural community liaison position. Alaska is the least densely populated state and the largest by area.