Juneau voters are selecting a mayor, two Assembly members and potentially up to five new members of the seven-person school board during Tuesday’s municipal election — which will also determine the fate of two municipal bond measures and the Ship-Free Saturday ballot proposition that has attracted international media coverage.
Details about the candidates, recall petitions and ballot measures are in the Juneau Empire’s voter’s guide and at the CBJ elections website.
Voting in the by-mail election ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday, with in-person voting available at City Hall and the Mendenhall Valley Public Library. Ballot dropoff boxes are at both locations, as well as the Douglas Public Library, Statter Harbor boat launch and AEL&P office in Lemon Creek. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday — not merely dropped in a mailbox that day.
Members of the public are allowed to watch the ballot review process in person at the Thane Ballot Processing Center located at 1325 Eastaugh Way.
The first unofficial results are likely to be released sometime after 10 p.m., according to the municipal clerk’s office, which will be updated as additional ballots arrive in the mail during the coming days. Certification of the election results is scheduled Oct. 15, but can be postponed up to three days on a day-to-day basis if necessary, according to the clerk’s office.
Ballots were mailed out to voters on Sept. 12 and the return rate for ballots as of last Thursday is 27% higher than last year’s municipal election, said Municipal Clerk Beth McEwen.
No voters were waiting at City Hall when in-person voting began at 7 a.m. Tuesday, but Deputy Municipal Clerk Andi Hirsh said a steady stream of about 10 to 15 people showed up at the Valley library voting location during the first 30 minutes.
The following races and measures are on the ballot:
• Mayor: Incumbent Beth Weldon is facing challenger Angela Rodell.
• Assembly District 1: Challengers Neil Steininger and Connor D. Ulmer are seeking the seat being vacated by Barbara ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak Blake.
• Assembly District 2: Challengers Nathaniel (Nano) Brooks, Maureen Hall, Dorene Lorenz, Mary Marks and Emily Mesch are seeking the seat being vacated by Michelle Bonnet Hale.
• Juneau Board of Education: Three seats are open, with incumbents Amber Frommherz, Will Muldoon and Elizabeth Siddon being challenged by Michele Stuart Morgan, Jeff Redmond and Jenny Thomas. The three candidates receiving the most votes in the citywide election will prevail.
• Recall petitions for Juneau Board of Education President Deedie Sorensen and Vice President Emil Mackey. If one or both are recalled the school board will have up to 30 days to appoint new members.
• Propositions 1 and 3: Municipal bonds for $12.7 million to upgrade emergency communications equipment for police/firefighters, and $10 million for wastewater treatment upgrades.
• Propositions 2: Ship-Free Saturday, which would ban cruise ships with room for 250 or more passengers on Saturdays and the Fourth of July.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
