Election Day nears for local races

Juneau’s largely by-mail municipal election is in full swing and time is beginning to tick down for residents to send in their votes before the Oct. 4 deadline.

The 2022 City and Borough of Juneau municipal ballot features an election to fill three Assembly seats along with two spots on the Juneau School District Board of Education. All the candidates who filed during the period are up for reelection in their current seats and all remain uncontested at the end of the filing period according to the list of certified candidates on the city’s website.

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Along with the seats, residents are also asked to vote on four proposition that seek voter approval on a five-year extension of the temporary 1% sales tax the city already has in place to fund multiple projects, a decision on whether to approve $35 million in bonds to go toward funding the construction of a new City Hall, to consider if the city should allocate $6.6 million in bonds toward funding the construction and equipment of park improvements at city parks and lastly to decide whether buyers in Juneau will need to disclose the sales price — among other information — to the City and Borough of Juneau when real property is sold.

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Beth McEwen, CBJ city clerk, said the city’s new ballot processing center has been busy all this week and said ballot processing is “well underway” from all the ballots already coming in via the mail, dropbox and two vote centers in Juneau. She said it’s too difficult to say the number of ballots that have been processed so far, but said: “they are constantly coming in and the number is always changing.”

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McEwen said as the voting period comes closer to ending, she encourages residents who have received their ballots to vote and get them in early. She said the earlier resident’s ballots get received, the more quickly any issues that may arise can be resolved.

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“If there are any issues, we can catch those sooner rather than later and try to get their ballot cured and counted,” she said.

She said that if residents need assistance such as a special needs ballot or replacement ballot and are unable to get to one of the vote centers due to age, illness or disability, the city has options available to try to provide assistance.

McEwen said she also urges people to not wait until Election Day to go in person for any voter assistance because in the previous two years both voter centers had lines on election day.

“If you want to beat the line, go anytime between now and election day,” McEwen said.

The city website provides information regarding the election and frequently asked voting questions. The city also sent residents a voter information packet, which details an overview of the election and a run-through of each proposition that is on this year’s ballot.

Key times, dates and places

Election Day: Tuesday, Oct. 4

By-mail voting: Ballots were mailed Tuesday, Sept. 13 to voters on file. Ballots can be returned to one of the two Juneau Vote Centers, to one of two secure drop boxes, or via the USPS. (Must be mailed no later than Election Day).

Vote Centers: City Hall Assembly Chambers open weekdays Sept. 19- Oct. 4. Mendenhall Valley Public Library open Sept. 19- Oct. 4, Saturdays, Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. Varying hours.

Secure Ballot Drop Boxes: Auke Bay-Don D. Statter Harbor boat launch parking Lot, Douglas Library/Fire Hall Community Building. Will be available 24/7 from 10 a.m., Sept. 19 and locked 8 p.m. Oct. 4.

Temporary address voting applications: Must be received by the city clerk’s office no later than Tuesday, Sept. 27.