JUNEAU -- Here's why you've probably gotten an extra "supplemental" voter pamphlet for the Alaska governor's race in the mail this week.
It's because of Bill Walker, the independent candidate for governor. But it's not his fault -- at least not entirely, says the state Division of Elections.
The changes in the governor's race, which involved Democratic nominee Byron Mallott stepping down to run for lieutenant governor with independent Walker joining him as candidate for governor in a "unity ticket," took many by surprise. That included the Division of Elections, which failed to put Walker in the pamphlet but did get others, who had been in the primary, into the main pamphlet.
Mallott, who ran in the primary as a Democratic candidate for governor, is listed appropriately as a "non-affiliated" candidate for lieutenant governor in that pamphlet. Walker is nowhere to be seen.
The state responded by sending out a corrected supplemental pamphlet.
Walker called the omission a "simple mistake" but said he hopes that the supplemental pamphlet gets to military and overseas voters, who receive the earliest ballots, before they decide on a governor.
"We hope these Alaskans receive the full packet of information before they vote. It would be unfortunate if this error were to cast a cloud over the final vote count," Walker said in a statement.
Elections Director Gail Fenumiai said absentee ballots for military and overseas voters went out on Sept. 17, while others went out on Oct. 3. The main election pamphlet went out Oct. 3, while the supplemental gubernatorial pamphlets began arriving in mailboxes this week, she said.
The correct pamphlet information has been online since Sept. 24, she said.
Fenumiai said the division originally requested pamphlet information from Walker but never sent a follow-up request letter with additional voter guide submission information that some other candidates got.
Walker spokesperson Lindsay Hobson said they have no record of Walker receiving the first information request, although they do from previous Walker campaigns. It's only in the last couple of days that they've heard the claim that they were actually notified, she said.
Fenumiai said there's a mention of the voter pamphlet in the letter sent to Walker last year when he first filed his intention to seek nomination by petition.
The state will pay the $45,000 cost of the extra voter guide. The main guide cost the state about $200,000.