Candidates can now file to run either for a seat on the Assembly or school board in the upcoming Oct. 1 municipal election.
Filing will be open from Aug. 2-12.
“Every year is different,” saith Beth McEwen, Municipal Clerk. “In some years, we have three or four people (running) per seat. Some years, it’s one person and no competition.”
Six seats are up for grabs this year, four on the Assembly and two on the school board.
Assembly members Wade Bryson, Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, and Carole Triem are all seeking re-election. Assembly member Mary Becker’s seat is vacant, as she’s served three terms.
Becker and Hughes-Skandijs’s seats are both in District 1, which encompasses downtown Juneau, Lemon Creek, Douglas and the airport as well as all points south. Bryson will seek re-election in District 2, which has the Mendenhall Valley and Auke Bay, as well as points north. Triem represents the areawide seat.
The Juneau Board of Education has two members, Dan DeBartolo and Steve Whitney, who are also up for re-election.
On Friday, Triem was the first to file her candidacy declaration and have it certified. She was elected to the Assembly last year to fill an uncompleted term. This time, she’ll be running in the regular election, to hold her seat.
“I ran last year and I was filling a vacancy,” Triem said. “I’m excited to be out there campaigning again.”
Citizens can run for: one areawide Assembly member for a three-year term; two from District 1 (the winner for a three year term and the runner-up for a one year term); one from District 2 for a three-year term; and two members of the school board for three-year terms.
All candidates must have lived in the area for a year before declaring their candidacy. Citizens running for the District 1 or 2 seats must reside in those districts. All candidates must be registered and eligible to vote, and must not have their voting rights restricted, according to a press release from McEwen.
Candidates must provide the Declaration of Candidacy along with a Nomination Petition with signatures of at least 25 registered voters. Candidates will also provide a Financial Disclosure Statement with their candidacy declaration.
“It’s so that you can see a candidate’s financial interests,” said Carole Triem, current member of the Assembly. “You can go see, well, oh this person has a stake in the downtown waterfront. How will this affect their decision making?”
Citizens can submit their candidacy declarations at the City Clerk’s office until Aug. 12. The staff will not begin processing anyone’s paperwork until it’s completely submitted. When a candidate’s paperwork is approved by the staff, their name will be released on the CBJ website.
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 523-2271 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
