( NewsNation) — A city in Alaska is preparing to become the first in the United States to allow voters to cast ballots from their smartphones in its upcoming municipal election.

Anchorage will experiment with internet voting in local elections, betting that its ease and security will win over voters even in an era of election conspiracy theories.

The largest city in Alaska is about to undertake an experiment that feels both inevitable and impossibly futuristic in an era of pervasive mistrust toward elections: allowing all voters to cast ballots from their smartphones.

By-mail options for voters in the state’s most populous city include casting ballots electronically, which has been offered since 2018. A more recent “secure document portal” further empowers residents.

Alaskans enacted the state’s existing elections system via a ballot measure in 2020, and a repeal measure last year failed by only 737 votes out of 320,985 cast. Proponents of the repeal vowed at that time to renew their effort and began gathering signatures in February to force another vote.

The Soldotna City Council last week voted to align city and state election dates and seek additional means of public noticing.

Juneau voters favored ranked choice voting at the state level, but nearly everyone who testified at Monday's Assembly meeting spoke against adopting it locally.

Alaska is a reliably Republican state, giving President Donald Trump double-digit victories in each of his three presidential bids. However, Democrats are eyeing its Senate race as a potential flip opportunity in the 2026 midterms, particularly if the president’s approval rating remains low next November.

Claman cites experience working across the aisle on a variety of issues. Claman and former state Sen. Tom Begich are the only Democrats in a large field.

As Alaskans who care deeply about the future of our state and the integrity of our democracy, we feel compelled to speak out in support of the Citizen-Only Voting Initiative. At first glance, some may shrug and say,

State Sen. Shelley Hughes said she is resigning to run for governor, days after fellow Republican Sen. Mike Shower resigned to run for lieutenant governor.