Latest news with #AnchorageAssembly
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ahead of Tuesday deadline, Anchorage ballot returns are on pace with recent municipal elections
Mar. 31—Anchorage voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to return their ballots to be counted in this year's municipal election. As of Monday morning, election officials had processed close to 30,000 ballots. Municipal Clerk Jamie Heinz, who is overseeing the city's vote count, said those numbers track closely with returns at this stage in other recent local elections. "It is right on par with 2019, 2022 and 2023," Heinz said. The tally includes ballots received through Friday. Over the weekend, Heinz said, drop boxes across the city received a surge of ballots. Those close-to-the-wire upswings ahead of the Tuesday deadline have become normal in the years since Anchorage first switched to a vote-by-mail election system in 2018. In 2023, the last citywide election without the mayorship on the ballot, 65,853 people voted, a turnout rate just under 30%, which is typical for Anchorage in non-mayoral years. The first batch of returns will be published Tuesday evening, "likely around 8:30 p.m.," Heinz wrote in an email. Those results will include ballots received through this past weekend and a portion of those received on Monday, according to Heinz. Though they will offer clear signs of who is likely to win in a given race, results will continue trickling in for days as late-arriving ballots are processed and will not be considered final until certified by the Anchorage Assembly. Results rarely change in the days following initial returns, but gaps between candidates can narrow, and in narrow races, candidates might swap the advantage as more ballots are tallied. Heinz said the city expects to post new results each day "for the remainder of the week after 4:45 p.m. but before 5:15 p.m.," and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday the following week. Residents will determine six of the 12 seats on the Anchorage Assembly, as well as two Anchorage School Board members. There are 11 bond measure and tax levies, as well, related to everything from school construction projects to public safety vehicles. [2025 Anchorage municipal election guide: Q&As with candidates for Assembly and school board] [What the latest fundraising reports tell us about Anchorage Assembly and school board races] Ballot envelopes can be returned by mail, at secure drop boxes across the municipality, or in person. Residents with lost or damaged ballots, or who wish to cast their vote in person, can do so at three Anchorage Vote Centers, located in City Hall, at the Loussac Library or in the Eagle River Town Center. Ballot envelopes returned by mail need a first-class stamp, and at this point in the election, officials recommend bringing them to a post office to be hand-canceled since ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What the latest fundraising reports tell us about Anchorage Assembly and school board races
Mar. 27—The latest round of campaign finance reports ahead of Anchorage's municipal election deadline Tuesday includes a number of interesting clues about how this year's contests are playing out. Overall, many of this year's Anchorage Assembly and school board races do not appear competitive, at least in terms of support from financial donors. Four of the six Assembly seats effectively have one candidate raising and spending campaign funds. The two school board incumbents on the ballot are massively outraising their challengers. The two exceptions are the contests in downtown Anchorage, where both candidates are closely matched in terms of financing, and Eagle River, where one of three had been a near-total non-entity up until recently, when he received a slew of donations from union groups. Voters in Anchorage were mailed ballots in mid-March and have until Tuesday to return them by mail or drop boxes around town, or at in-person voting sites. [Anchorage vote centers now open in ramp-up to Tuesday's city election voting deadline] Eagle River Up until the latest round of financial disclosures, the race for the open seat representing Chugiak and Eagle River looked like it was effectively between two candidates, even though a third had technically filed to run. Jared Goecker, who ran as a Republican for a state Senate seat last fall, has brought in almost $9,000 in donations, including $2,676 during the first three weeks of March. Almost all of his spending was on consulting and advertising services run by the Ritacco Group, a conservative campaign firm headquartered in Wasilla. Goecker's primary opponent appeared to be Kyle Walker, a civil engineer, who has raised a total of $3,211. In the latest reporting period, Walker's biggest donation was $946 from himself, which was used to pay for yard signs. A third candidate, David Littleton, did not file any fundraising disclosures prior to the latest round. He had not put a campaign website online, nor responded to the Anchorage Daily News's candidate questionnaire. But on the last day of January he reported receiving $1,000 from Justin Weaver, a private asset manager in Anchorage who, since 2022, has become one of the biggest donors in local and state political races. In the weeks after, Littleton received checks from eight political action committees representing unions, including the Anchorage Police Department, state and public employees, laborers, and the Juneau Central Labor Council. In total, Littleton reported raising $8,275, almost entirely from organized labor. Besides Weaver, the only individual donor who shows up in his report is Littleton himself, with a $25 contribution. "I'm a member of the laborers union," said Littleton, an instructor at the Alaska Laborers Training School in Chugiak, of the PAC donations. "The rest of them I filled out questionnaires, I was asked to do interviews ... I didn't approach them, they approached me." Littleton's campaign website is very minimal. Instead of a page laying out policy positions, there are a few bullet points with proposals like, "Keep homelessness out of Eagle River and Chugiak," and "Fighting to reduce property taxes." Most of the $5,148 he reported spending went to signs and printing campaign literature, which he's distributed during door-knocking in the district. But $784 went to the Ship Creek Group for campaign start-up costs. The Anchorage firm has represented a wide range of clients but leans progressive, and does a lot of work with union groups. "They kinda just did all the little detail things I needed to get started," Littleton said. "They were a really big help on navigating all of the initial things I had to do." Ira Slomski-Pritz is a partner with Ship Creek Group, and handles the firm's work on Assembly races. He said they had not been looking to take on the Eagle River race but were contacted by Littleton. "He seems like a regular, working guy who seemed like he wanted to represent Eagle River," Slomski-Pritz said. "He seemed very reasonable." He confirmed that Ship Creek helped get basic campaign infrastructure in place for Littleton, but said that any PAC contributions would have been handled by the groups themselves. Littleton said one of his primary motivations to run was that he believed one of the other candidates had entered the race not to help the community but instead as a launch pad for his own political career. "And I'm sick and tired of career politicians," said Littleton, whose background is in construction. Downtown The District 1 race, which includes downtown Anchorage and the surrounding neighborhoods, is between incumbent Daniel Volland and first-time candidate Daniel George. The two are faring similarly in terms of their campaign fundraising and spending. Money in municipal races matters, but it is far from determinative: Recent cycles saw unprecedented levels of spending as conservative challengers tried to knock left-leaning incumbents off the body, but mostly failed, and in most cases without much of a change in turnout or vote share. Volland brought in $15,500 in his latest report to the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which covers three weeks from the start of the month until March 22. George raised slightly more, $20,454. In the same time frame, they spent about $20,000 and $21,000, respectively. Over the course of the full campaign, Volland has taken in just under $53,000 to George's $38,585, though the latter entered the campaign later on. Volland's donors in his latest filing are a mix of labor union political action committees, current and former Democratic elected officials like Mark Begich and Forrest Dunbar, as well as former Mayor Rick Mystrom, a Republican. George has received donations from people all over the political spectrum, but his most recent filing saw a large number of established conservatives who have been active in recent years financing challengers from the right in local races, including former Anchorage first lady Deb Bronson and past Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich. Volland's largest expenditures during the reporting period were direct mail, and more than $4,000 for digital ads on Facebook and Google platforms. There was also a $500 payment for campaign consulting to Ship Creek. The majority of George's spending, close to $15,000, paid for work like signage and direct mail handled by Wasilla-based firm Optima Public Relations, which has worked with many of the most conservative candidates in Alaska politics over the last several years. Asymmetrical races Two of the most expensive races this cycle are the contests for the school board. Unlike the Assembly races, school board seats are "area wide," meaning all voters in the municipality, regardless of which neighborhood or part of town they live in, vote on them. The two incumbents, Margo Bellamy and Kelly Lessens, have raised a total of $65,876 and $83,696, respectively, reflecting support from a mix of small individual donors and union PACs. By contrast, the two candidates running against them, Alexander Rosales and Mark Anthony Cox, have reported bringing in $2,548 and $7,425. In Rosales' case, however, much of that total came from self-donations or campaign purchases miscategorized as outside contributions. For example, $40 Rosales noted as campaign income appears to have been likewise listed as an expense: On the same day he reported spending $40 for premium account verification on the social media site X. In four Assembly races, just one candidate reported raising most or all of the money. West Anchorage incumbent Kameron Perez-Verdia raised $11,295 in the latest filing period, and $63,763 since the start of the campaign. Erin Baldwin Day, a first-time candidate running to take over outgoing vice chair Meg Zaletel's Midtown seat, raised $9,330 according to her latest report and has brought in a total of $48,896. Yarrow Silvers, running to take over the open East Anchorage seat currently held by Karen Bronga, has raised a total of $44,145, including $10,740 in the latest filing window. And Keith McCormick, running to represent South Anchorage, has raised a total of $28,753, with $7,705 of it coming in the first three weeks of March. The candidates running against those four, along with a third candidate running for the downtown seat, either did not file campaign finance reports with APOC or reported no income. They include Nicholas Danger, Jonathan Duckworth, Amie Steen, Angela Frank, John Stiegele and Darin Colbry. After not filing any prior reports this cycle, Midtown candidate Don Smith submitted one showing $375 in outside donations that was applied to postage for a mailer.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voting centers open Tuesday in Anchorage's by-mail city election
Mar. 24—Three Anchorage voting centers will be open starting Tuesday for residents who prefer to cast ballots in person for the April 1 by-mail city election. While Anchorage's municipal elections been conducted using a vote-by-mail system since 2018, some have preferred to vote in person. For those who plan to return their completed ballots by mail, ballots must be postmarked on or before election day, April 1. Ballots can also be returned at one of 18 secure drop boxes until 8 p.m. April 1. On the ballot are six of 12 Anchorage Assembly seats, two Anchorage School Board seats and a slate of bonds and propositions. [2025 Anchorage municipal election guide: Q&As with candidates for Assembly and school board] [Here are the bonds and levies on the ballot in Anchorage's city election] For in-person voting, residents can head to one of the city's three vote centers: at City Hall in downtown, at the Loussac Library in Midtown and at the Eagle River Town Center. The Eagle River location will only have ballots for the Chugiak-Eagle River district. Starting Tuesday, vote centers will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For voters mailing or dropping off ballots, remember to read and sign the declaration on the envelope. A valid signature from the voter is required for the ballot to be counted. If you're mailing your ballot the day before or on election day, consider asking a postal official to hand-stamp the envelope with a postmark to make sure your ballot is counted. Secure drop boxes are available at 18 locations across the municipality, with a list available at If you didn't receive a ballot, if your ballot is lost or damaged, or if you need assistance voting, head to a vote center. This is also where you can find ADA-accessible voting machines. You can also apply with the clerk's office to vote by fax, email or secure document portal. To do so, you should apply before 5 p.m. Tuesday. Any applications received after that "may be processed subject to availability of staff and resources," according to the municipal clerk's office. If you won't be home during the election, you can apply to vote at a temporary address. The deadline to apply is also 5 p.m. Tuesday. To get ballot tracking alerts by text, email or voicemail, sign up at The system sends alerts when ballot packages have been sent out, received, counted, or if there is a problem with a ballot. In some cases, voters will be asked to "cure" problems with their ballots, like if the ballot return envelope is missing a signature or the signature couldn't be verified. When this happens, election officials mail voters a letter with options to fix the issue. Last year, the municipal clerk's office introduced a new way for voters to cure their ballots via text message.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Building and zoning reforms emerge as wedge in unusually competitive Anchorage Assembly race
Mar. 20—Six of the 12 seats on the Anchorage Assembly will be determined by this spring's municipal election, which ends on April 1. Unlike recent cycles, few of the races are particularly competitive. Four of the contests have just a single candidate running a traditional campaign, against challengers with little to no organized support or public messaging. One area where that is not the case is District 1, which covers downtown Anchorage, as well as neighborhoods like Fairview, Government Hill and Mountain View. Assembly seats are nonpartisan, but residents in the district tend to consistently elect liberal officials, often by wide margins. In this cycle, though, the progressive incumbent, Daniel Volland, is facing a robust challenge from a Realtor with a background in Republican politics and community-level public service. The challenger, Daniel George, has backing from an unusual coalition that runs the political gamut, from conservative stalwarts and former Republican politicians to progressive elected officials and left-leaning community activists. He also raised close to the same amount of money as Volland in the most recent round of campaign finance reports filed with the state, $8,824 to Volland's $10,540, although Volland had already raised substantially more prior to that, and upcoming reports to the Alaska Public Offices Commission may look quite different. One of the animating issues in the race is housing, and how members of the Assembly, including Volland, have pushed for reforms to get more homes and residential units added to Anchorage's inadequate supply. "Our worldviews are very similar," former South Anchorage Assembly member John Weddleton said about Volland. "But he's not turned out well," he added. Weddleton has been lending his support to George, donating money to his campaign and co-sponsoring a fundraiser for the first-time Assembly candidate earlier this month. [Anchorage election guide: Q&As with candidates for Assembly and school board] 'A critical inflection point' Volland was elected in a 2022 special election after the Assembly voted to add a 12th seat. Prior to that, the downtown district was represented by just one member. Turnout in that election was poor, even by the standards of District 1, which tends to have some of the lowest voter participation in the municipality. And because it was a special election among six candidates, Volland won by receiving the biggest share of votes — close to 39% — but not a majority. The second-highest vote getter received about 31%. Since joining the body, Volland, an optometrist with a business downtown, has a track record of advocating for changes to housing and zoning rules, improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and more resources for behavioral health in the public safety system, among other issues. He connects the support for his rival from traditional backers of progressive candidates to his work on housing policy, and a "change-averse" attitude among some when it comes to building and development. "I think a lot of it comes from the work we've done on housing to make it more possible to build more multifamily duplexes and threeplexes and fourplexes," said Volland, who has backed several initiatives — some successful, others not — to make it easier to build multifamily structures through code changes to land-use and permitting. Housing is a touchy subject in Anchorage politics, and one that doesn't always break across traditional political fault lines. Volland said some people have criticized Assembly members like himself for being "too bold on housing," but he also hears from constituents who don't think measures enacted in the last few years go far enough to address the scale of the affordability crisis and shortage in new units. "I think Anchorage is at a critical inflection point right now. In some ways we are in decline. But I also feel like there's a lot of folks who are embracing a positive view," Volland said. Volland pointed out that many of the people backing his opponent do not actually live in the district. Because housing and zoning policy tend to affect residents all over the city, he said, some people who oppose denser developments in neighborhoods that have long barred anything but single-family homes have been drawn to the downtown race. Daniel George grew up in Anchorage, and though a chunk of his professional career was spent working for state and congressional politicians, he's remained engaged in the city's neighborhood-level political system, both as leader of the Mountain View Community Council and Federation of Community Councils, as well as serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission. That perspective, along with his work selling homes, he said, has given him a level of technical insight into policies that are and are not working in the municipality. "Our housing stock is aged, and it's aged poorly," he said. "I'm a Realtor, I've sold a lot of houses in the Mat-Su in recent years." His campaign has drawn support from people who don't usually donate to the same candidates or socialize at fundraisers. An event on March 3 included some unlikely bedfellows. The list of co-sponsors included conservatives like former Eagle River state Sen. Anna MacKinnon, former Anchorage first lady Deb Bronson, and Mayor Dave Bronson's former Chief of Staff Sami Graham. And there were solidly liberal co-sponsors, as well, including former Assembly member Sheila Selkregg, entrepreneur and activist Eleanor Andrews, and outgoing Assembly member Karen Bronga, who represents the east side. George said the breadth of that coalition reflects relationships he's built through volunteering and public service. Part of his problem with the Assembly's approach to housing policy, he said, is less about specific policies it has pursued than the way it has tackled them. At times, he said, members have speedily advanced reform ordinances that he thinks have run roughshod over the public process. In other instances, he thinks the body's priorities have been off, like pursuing denser housing options in neighborhoods rather than finding ways to incentivize development of unused lots. "Density is not the only solution, it only nips around the edge of the solution," George said. "How do we unlock stranded parcels?" [Here are the bonds and levies on the ballot in Anchorage's city election] 'It's about the process' Not everyone's support for George over the incumbent Volland comes down to policy preferences. "He's very combative. And he draws lines and he alienates people," Weddleton said of Volland. During his two terms on the Assembly, Weddleton earned a reputation as a moderate with an interest in technical details. He said that while he supported Volland in his first bid for office, the approach to housing policy from him and some other members of the Assembly has repeatedly bypassed opportunities for public engagement, and in so doing damaged public trust among constituents. "If they don't toe his line, they're a 'NIMBY,'" said Weddleton. The acronym stands for "Not In My Backyard," and is often used to criticize people who might support development in general, but not when it happens near their homes or neighborhoods. Weddleton said his support for George comes partly out of his shared background on the Planning and Zoning Commission and as a fellow "community council guy," who in spite of his own political positions, prioritizes civility and pragmatism. That was likewise what drew Karen Bronga to back George. "We don't agree on a hell of a lot of things, but we agree on engaging with people, being civil," said Bronga, who opted not to run for re-election. In 2023, Bronga beat another first-time candidate who was aligned with the conservative Bronson administration. Though generally she votes with the Assembly majority, she has often split with it. And she's critical of political orthodoxy she believes has put the body out of step with many residents, even those who support a more liberal-leaning agenda for the city. "We have an Assembly that has swung too far left in some areas," she said. "I'm hearing more and more from people that contributed to my campaign that are considered very progressive ... And they are like, 'What the hell is going on with this Assembly? It's gone too far to the left.'" One resident who typifies some of the trends at play in the District 1 race is Dianne Holmes. A retiree who lives on the south side, Holmes regularly testifies before the Assembly and is highly engaged with land use and zoning issues across the city. Typically, when she donates to local political campaigns, it is to more liberal-leaning candidates. But this cycle she has contributed to George. "We had great hopes for Volland. And I think it has to do a lot with the housing situation. No one will say 'we're against more housing,' because we need it. But it's about the process," Holmes said. She ticked off a number of housing and zoning measures from the last two years that have gone before the Assembly. Some, she said, were decent proposals. But what bothered her were the ways she believes Volland and others steered them away from public input or diminished oversight and review from city planners. Holmes and others do not expect George to win. It is hard to unseat an Assembly incumbent. And though George has raised a respectable amount of money, he filed to run for the seat at the very last minute and has raced to stand up a visible campaign. But, she said, this may get him some name recognition for next year, when Assembly Chair Christopher Constant, who is barred by term limits from running again, is not on the ballot. Other races this cycle are drastically more lopsided, with many local politicos treating them as foregone conclusions, either because of an incumbency advantage, or because one candidate has a monopoly on resources over the challengers. Or both. The Eagle River contest includes two candidates both running for Assembly for the first time who are closely matched on fundraising. Municipal ballots were mailed out earlier this month and have to be postmarked or cast in person by April 1.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anchorage Assembly candidate Q&A: Kameron Perez-Verdia
Mar. 17—The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here. Name: Kameron Perez-Verdia — District: 3 — Age: 53 — Occupation: President/CEO, Alaska Humanities Forum, member, Anchorage Assembly — Website: Candidate background: I'm a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Utqiaġvik. My wife, Monica, works as a nurse practitioner and together we have been raising our two daughters, Isabel and Mariela, here in Anchorage. For more than 25 years, I've worked in senior leadership positions for Alaska-based organizations, including Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Catholic Social Services and APU. I served for four years on the Anchorage School Board and have served six years on the Assembly. I currently serve as president and CEO of Alaska Humanities Forum, working to strengthen communities across Alaska. Why are you running for the Anchorage Assembly, and what makes you qualified for the job? Over the years, I've seen the challenges our city faces — whether it's homelessness, public safety, or access to mental health services — and I believe we can do better. While we have made significant progress since I first ran in 2019, I'm running for reelection to continue finding practical, long-term solutions to the most pressing issues facing our community. I have worked on increasing Anchorage's housing supply, investing in affordable and accessible child care, and bolstering public safety through hand-in-hand collaboration with our first responders. The work is not over, and we need experienced, dedicated leadership to get the job done. What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? How would you address it? We need to tackle the intertwined problems of public safety and homelessness. On the Assembly, I've led initiatives to improve public safety and mental health crisis response. I've championed efforts to build additional affordable housing and enhance services that connect individuals to care such as the launch of the Mobile Crisis Team. Moving forward, the Municipality must continue to work with community partners to expand transitional, workforce and affordable housing and bring an end to dangerous encampments. Drug dealing, theft and public safety concerns are impacting families and businesses, and we must take stronger action to address these issues. While not all individuals experiencing homelessness are committing crimes, many are vulnerable to criminal activity happening around them. We must continue to enforce existing laws, improve coordination between law enforcement and outreach teams and ensure that homeless individuals are connected to these services and stable housing. Please give a letter grade, A-F, for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's performance as mayor. Explain. B. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance has shown strong leadership in several areas, particularly in community engagement and advocating for policies that stabilize our economy. Her efforts to improve transparency and work collaboratively with the Assembly are commendable. However, overall there will always be areas that require more immediate, bold action. While she has made progress, there's still work to be done in implementing long-term solutions to homelessness and public safety, which is something I look forward to continuing to work on as a team. Please give a letter grade, A-F, for the performance of the current Assembly. Explain. B. The current Assembly has made strides in addressing critical issues like homelessness and housing. However, the body as a whole has struggled to reach consensus on critical issues and has sometimes been reactive rather than proactive. There is a clear need for more decisive action and collaboration to effectively tackle the city's challenges which will be made easier under the new administration. What's your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorage's economy? Anchorage is facing numerous economic challenges — outmigration of working families, rising costs of housing and basic necessities and lack of new economic opportunities. Now is the time to lock in on economic rejuvenation. We need a pro-development agenda that attracts more jobs, creates a favorable environment for small businesses, provides incentives to spark economic growth and innovation, lowers barriers to entrepreneurship, and promotes thoughtful development. I am also interested in exploring alternative sources of revenue to diversify our tax base and reduce the uneven burden of taxation on some segments of Anchorage's population. What other important issue would you like to discuss? Education has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional life. My parents, who dedicated their careers to teaching and administration, shaped my understanding of the importance of strong schools in building strong communities. As a parent of two children currently attending public schools in Anchorage, I have a vested interest in ensuring that our public education system thrives. Moving forward, education will continue to be one of my highest priorities. I will continue to advocate for increased investments in early childhood education and our entire education system, so that teachers and students have the resources they need to succeed.
