A ballot proposition that asked whether the City and Borough of Juneau should issue up to $7 million in bonds now has an unofficial yes from voters.
The Election Day tally showed “no” votes for Proposition 2 outpacing “yes” votes 3,166-3,150. The 2,166 questioned and absentee ballots that were counted by the Absentee-Question Review Board Friday evening changed that to a close 4,279-4,168 unofficial victory for yes, according to results shared by City Clerk Beth McEwen.
[Election Day winners, losers and races too close to call]
The results of the municipal election will be verified when the Canvass Review Board meets at 10 a.m. today at City Hall in Conference Room 224.
While Prop 2 would allow the CBJ Assembly to decide to issue up to $7 million in general obligation bonds, Assembly members may decide to take on no additional debt.
The $7 million would be intended to be used for Centennial Hall, but renovations for the event venue and conference center have other funding sources based on the outcomes of the other propositions.
Since Proposition 3, which would have provided a $4.5 million grant for the proposed New Juneau Arts & Culture Center project, failed (4,937-3,551) and Proposition 1, which would allow CBJ to raise the hotel-motel tax from 7 to 9 percent passed (4,872-3,570), the grant money and increased tax revenue are both free to go to Centennial Hall.
The unofficial outcomes for all other races stayed the same after the review board’s count.
Greg Smith still took the most votes in the District 1 Assembly race — 5,454 votes to Alicia Hughes-Skandijs’ 5,028. That means he is in line for a three-year Assembly seat and Hughes-Skandijs is poised for a one-year seat.
Assembly members Wade Bryson and Carole Triem won their uncontested races.
Deedie Sorensen and Emil Mackey were the two apparent winners in the four-person school board race.
Sorensen was still the top vote-getter in the school board race by virtue of 3,989 votes, according to the review board’s count, and Mackey maintained his second-place finish with 3,001 votes to third-place Martin Stepetin Sr.’s 2,735 votes.
Bonnie Jensen finished in third place with 2,051 votes, according to the review board count.
