At the close of the day Aug. 12, only a handful of candidates filed for City Council and School Board seats.
For City Council, incumbent Stan Selmer, Bert Bounds and Mike Catsi filed for the two open three-year seats. Colette Hisman decided not to run again for her seat, and Selmer’s seat is open because he was appointed to Mayor Tim Bourcy’s seat after last fall’s election.
There is a lone candidate for the School Board – Julene Fairbanks, who is running for a three-year seat. No one filed for the one-year seat. Sitting board members Bruce Weber and Lynette Roseberg, whose seats are up, did not file.
The Skagway News will publish interviews with the candidates, both those who have filed and any declared write-in candidates, in the September 13 and 27 issues. –DL
State primary election set for Aug. 27
Next Tuesday’s open primary election will cause consternation to those who would rather vote for a person, not a party.
The US Supreme Court ruled in a California case that a state may not require a political party to allow non-party members to select party candidates in a primary election. The Alaska State Legislature passed a new primary law in 2001.
However, members of the Bahai’ Faith may not be able to vote in the election because their faith centers on equality, unity and individual truth.
July 28 was the deadline to register a party affiliation. There are six parties in Alaska – Alaska Democratic, Alaskan Independence, Alaska Libertarian Party, Green Party, Republican Moderate, and the Republican Party of Alaska.
If you are a registered independent, non-partisan voter, and didn’t choose a party before the election, you may choose just one party’s ballot at the polls.
The polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at City Hall. Here are the contenders:
ALASKA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
U.S. Senator: Frank J. Vondersaar, Theresa Nangle Obermeyer
U.S. Representative: Dae Miles, Clifford Mark Greene
Governor: Bruce J. Lemke, Michael J. Beasley, Fran Ulmer
Lieutenant Governor: Ernie Hall
State Senate, District C: Georgianna “George” Lincoln (i)
State Representative, District 5: Albert M. Kookesh (i)
ALASKAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY
U.S. Senator: Jim Dore
U.S. Representative: no candidate
Governor: Don Wright, Samuel Acevedo Fevos Sr., John Wayne Glotfelty, Nels Anderson Jr., Casey Cockerham, Harold A. “Sandy” Haldane
Lieutenant Governor: Daniel Denardo
State Senator, District C: no candidate
State Representative, District 5: no candidate
GREEN PARTY OF ALASKA
U.S. Senator: James L. Sykes,Thomas M. Higgins
U.S. Representative: Russell F. deForest
Governor: Erica “Desa” L. Jacobsson
Lieutenant Governor: Diane E. Benson
State Senate, District C: no candidate
State Representative, District 5: no candidate
ALASKA LIBERTARIAN PARTY
U.S. Senator: Leonard J. “Len” Karpinski
U.S. Representative: Rob Clift
Governor: Billy Toien
Lieutenant Governor: Al A. Anders
State Senate, District C: no candidate
State Representative, District 5: no candidate
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ALASKA
U.S. Senator: Ted Stevens (i), Mike Aubrey
U.S. Representative: Don E. Young (i)
Governor: Frank H. Murkwoski, Wayne A. Ross, Eric E. Wieler, Brad Snowden
Lieutenant Governor: Sarah Palin, Gail Phillips, Loren D. Leman, Paul R. Wieler, Robin L. Taylor
State Senate, District C: Mac Carter
State Representative, District 5: Dennis Watson, Gary E. Graham
REPUBLICAN MODERATE PARTY
U.S. Senator: no candidate
U.S. Representative: no candidate
Governor: Dawn M. Mendia
Lieutenant Governor: no candidate
State senate, District C: no candidate
State Representative, District 5: no candidate
Ballot Measure 1: Initiative Implementing Alternative Voting Electoral System.
This bill enacts preferential voting for state and federal elections, except governor. Voters would rank one to five candidate choices per office. A candidate who receives a majority of first choice votes would be elected. If no candidate who receives a majority of first choice votes would be elected. If no candidate gets a majority vote, the candidate with fewest first choice votes is defeated. Then, remaining candidates receive he next choice votes of voters whose first choice candidate was defeated. This process continues until one candidate gets a majority of the combined votes, In a primary election, a voter may only rank candidates within one party. Shall this initiative become law?