On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the Division of Elections (DOE) Commissioner Carol Beecher told a legislative committee that the Division mailed a letter to approximately 3,500 registered Alaskan voters asking them to confirm their citizenship status.
The ACLU of Alaska does not believe this is a routine part of Alaska’s voter list maintenance procedures, and many people who received this letter have reported inaccuracies with its claims that they are not citizens when they are.
The ACLU of Alaska has issued the following guidance to help you understand the letters and what you should do if you received one. We will update this resource as we learn more.
Why did I receive this letter?
According to a memo from the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in March 2026, the DOE sent the DMV a list of 15,200 license and identification applicants, requesting that the DMV provide citizenship information. The DMV sent back a list of roughly 3,500 names to the Division of Elections of people who may not be citizens. These voters were moved from “active” to “inactive” status based on information provided by the DMV. These people were sent a letter on June 16, 2026, asking them to confirm their citizenship status. State officials have acknowledged that some of the DMV information may be outdated- including records for people who received an Alaska driver’s license before becoming naturalized citizens.
How do I confirm if I’m still an active voter?
If you received this letter from the Division of Elections, you should first confirm that you are still an active voter. You can do this on your Alaska My Voter Portal using your first and last name and mailing city, or you can visit your local Elections office.
It appears that the Division has placed many, if not all, of the letter recipients on “inactive” status. An inactive status does not mean someone has lost their right to vote. If you are listed as “inactive,” you may not appear on the list of voters at your polling place, but you can still vote a questioned ballot. A questioned ballot will be reviewed after Election Day and counted if the voter’s eligibility is verified.
How should I respond to this letter?
If you are a U.S. citizen, you should contact the Division of Elections to confirm that you are a citizen. You can do this by returning the form provided by the Division of Elections via mail. We also recommend emailing the Division at [email protected] informing them of your citizenship status, along with your name and voter number. You do not need to provide any documentation or proof of citizenship. The Division of Elections has no legal authority to require such documentation for the purposes of maintaining Alaska’s voter list.
Once you’ve confirmed with the Division of Elections that you’re a citizen, we recommend checking your voter portal again to confirm that your status has been returned to active. If your status has not been corrected, you should follow up with the Division of Elections before voting.
If you are not a U.S. citizen and received this letter, we recommend contacting an immigration attorney prior to contacting the Division of Elections. See our legal resource list here.
What happens if I do not respond and/or remain “inactive”?
Receiving the letter does not automatically remove you from Alaska’s voter registration list entirely. “Inactive” voters do not appear on the list of voters at polling places but are able to vote a questioned ballot.
Once you have confirmed that you are a citizen to the Division of Elections, it should return you to the “active” voter list. Not responding, or not responding quickly, may mean that you will be required to vote a questioned ballot in the upcoming primary election on August 18th.
It is possible that, given the timing of these letters, you may not be listed on the voter list at your physical polling site for the primary election, even if you do contact the Division and are an eligible voter. If that is the case, vote a questioned ballot. If you need to locate your precinct, you can use Alaska’s Precinct Look Up.
Have ongoing questions about your voter registration and citizenship status? Fill out our intake form here.
Want to request voting and elections ‘Know Your Rights’ training from the ACLU of Alaska? Request a training here.