December 16, 2008
Tuesday

Alaska's Electoral College votes for president and vice-president of the United States were cast Monday morning at Centennial Hall in Juneau with unique historical significance to Alaska. U.S. Senator John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin received Alaska's three electoral votes for president and vice president respectively. "Never before has Alaska's governor run for vice-president of the United States. And, never before have Alaska's electors cast their electoral votes for their own governor. This is truly a milestone," noted Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell, who hosted the event. Governor Sarah Palin also attended.

Around the nation Monday, electoral votes were cast by each state bringing the final national victory to Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden for president and vice president.

Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution specifies that electors representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia make up our Electoral College. Alaska has three electors coinciding with our two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Representative. This year's electors from Alaska were Robert Brodie, Roy Burkhart, and Hope Nelson.

In accordance with the Twelfth Amendment, the electoral votes were sealed today and will be transmitted to the president of the U.S. Senate who, on January 6, will open them and read them before both houses of Congress, along with the electoral votes from the other 49 states and the District of Columbia.

At Monday's ceremony, Lieutenant Governor Parnell also thanked Alaska's elections workers saying, "We are grateful to the professionals at the Division of Elections and the State Review Board, as well as the many poll workers who maintain the integrity of our elections." Alaska's elections security received an independent third party review last year by the University of Alaska. "The review determined that Alaska's election system is among the most secure in the country, and it has a number of safeguards other states are now adopting," the lieutenant governor said.

Source of News:

Office of the Lt. Governor
www.ltgov.state.ak.us

 

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