Republican governor candidate Mike Dunleavy picked up the endorsement of another major regional Native corporation on Friday when Arctic Slope Regional Corporation announced its endorsement.
According to the corporation’s announcement, the endorsement was decided in a special meeting of the ASRC board of directors.
“As a state, we must continue our progress toward advancing opportunities for safe and responsible resource development, as well as a push toward more sustainable state spending,” wrote Rex A. Rock Sr., ASRC’s president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “We believe Mike Dunleavy is closely aligned with our values, which will create additional stability in our communities as well as opportunities for our shareholders.”
ASRC’s announcement follows one by Calista regional Native corporation earlier this week.
Both Calista and ASRC are strong opponents of Ballot Measure 1, the pro-fisheries ballot measure that would institute new environmental protections for salmon streams. Dunleavy is an opponent of Ballot Measure 1, while his principal opponent, Democratic governor candidate Mark Begich, is a supporter of the measure.
Pro-Dimond IE group gets donation
A group supporting the election of Juneau independent Chris Dimond to the Alaska House of Representatives received a notable boost this week from a group that formerly backed incumbent Gov. Bill Walker.
In a document filed Friday with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, a Florida-based group called “Alaskans for Grenn, Dimond, Ortiz, and Seaton” reported a $25,000 donation from “Unite Alaska for Walker,” an independent expenditure group created to accept large donations for Walker.
Jason Grenn, Chris Dimond, Dan Ortiz and Paul Seaton are all running as independents in various Alaska House races this fall. Grenn and Ortiz are independent incumbents representing Anchorage and Ketchikan districts, respectively. Seaton served as a Republican in the last Legislature but is running as an independent this year because the Republican Party opposes his decision to join the predominantly Democratic House Majority.
The same APOC report shows the Unite Alaska money is being used to support internet advertising for the four men.
Contacted Friday, Dimond said he was not aware of the donation until informed by the Empire. State law prohibits independent expenditure groups from coordinating with candidates.
Early voting tally
As voters continue to fill Juneau’s two polling places, election turnout reached 7 percent in House District 34 (Mendenhall Valley) 11 days before Election Day.
According to figures released Friday morning by the Alaska Division of Elections, 841 early votes and 230 absentee votes had been cast by voters from that district by the end of the day Thursday. The district has 15,390 registered voters.
District 34 voters have cast more early votes than any other House district in the state.
The No. 2 district is House District 33, which covers Haines, Skagway, Gustavus, Klukwan, Douglas and downtown Juneau. Voters in that district had cast 709 early votes and 283 absentee votes by the end of Thursday.
Through the end of Thursday, 19,969 votes had been cast statewide, including 10,470 early votes.
In Juneau, early and absentee voting takes place at the Elections Office in the Mendenhall Mall Annex and on the eighth floor of the State Office Building from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Weekend hours begin in November. On Saturday, Nov. 3, the Mendenhall Mall Annex will be open for voting 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and on Sunday, Nov. 4, it will be open noon-4 p.m.
Early votes are counted on Election Day.
• Contact reporter James Brooks at jbrooks@juneauempire.com or 523-2258.
