Municipal election

Alaska State Employees Association Business Manager Jim Duncan leads union members in a chant during a rally at the State Office Building in 2013. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)

Election roundup: Third major labor union backs Walker re-election

The Alaska State Employees Association has become the third major labor union to endorse the re-election of Gov. Bill Walker. In a statement issued Wednesday,… Continue reading

Alaska State Employees Association Business Manager Jim Duncan leads union members in a chant during a rally at the State Office Building in 2013. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)
The three candidates for the Juneau School District’s Board of Education, Kevin Allen, left, Elizabeth Siddon, center, and Paul Kelly, talk at the Labor Day picnic at Sandy Beach on Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Labor Day picnic gives attendees chance to meet candidates

Nadine Lefebvre, the president of the Juneau Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, prepared to read the winning raffle numbers at Monday’s annual Labor Day picnic. Before… Continue reading

The three candidates for the Juneau School District’s Board of Education, Kevin Allen, left, Elizabeth Siddon, center, and Paul Kelly, talk at the Labor Day picnic at Sandy Beach on Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Former University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor John Pugh speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Pugh spoke in favor of the Assembly approving a ballot measure that would ask voters if they wanted the city to partially fund the construction of a new Juneau Arts and Culture Center. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

No initiatives will appear on municipal ballot

For the first time since 2015, no ballot initiatives will go before voters in this fall’s municipal election.

Former University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor John Pugh speaks to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole on Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Pugh spoke in favor of the Assembly approving a ballot measure that would ask voters if they wanted the city to partially fund the construction of a new Juneau Arts and Culture Center. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Andy Hughes is pictured prior to the 2017 municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Andy Hughes drops out of Assembly race

The race for the Areawide seat on the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly is already down to two candidates. Andy Hughes dropped out of… Continue reading

Andy Hughes is pictured prior to the 2017 municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Norton Gregory gives Carole Triem a high-five as he arrives at City Hall to resign from his Assembly seat to run for mayor on Monday, August 13, 2018. Triem was waiting for Gregory to resign so she could file to run for his areawide seat. The Candidate Filing Period for the Oct. 2 Municipal Election closed Monday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crowded races abound in municipal election

All was quiet at the Clerk’s Office at City Hall on Monday, until about 3 p.m. At that point, an hour and a half before… Continue reading

Norton Gregory gives Carole Triem a high-five as he arrives at City Hall to resign from his Assembly seat to run for mayor on Monday, August 13, 2018. Triem was waiting for Gregory to resign so she could file to run for his areawide seat. The Candidate Filing Period for the Oct. 2 Municipal Election closed Monday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
City Hall stands on a quiet morning on June 7, 2017. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire File)

Field almost set for municipal election

Entering the final day for candidates to register for the municipal election, there are still a few details that need to be worked out. The… Continue reading

City Hall stands on a quiet morning on June 7, 2017. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire File)
Kevin Allen, pictured in 2016 as a candidate for Juneau School Board.

Thunder Mountain grad will run for school board again

Kevin Allen is hoping that the third time will be the charm. Allen, a 2016 Thunder Mountain High School graduate, has run for a spot… Continue reading

Kevin Allen, pictured in 2016 as a candidate for Juneau School Board.
Donald Habeger, community coordinator for the Juneau Reentry Coalition, opens a community meeting addressing the barriers to housing that post-incarcerated people in Juneau face. The meeting took place at Centennial Hall on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. (Richard McGrail | Juneau Empire File)

Habeger declares run for Assembly

Don Habeger has lived in Juneau for nearly 40 years, and though he’s worked in politics, he’s never run for a spot on the Assembly.… Continue reading

Donald Habeger, community coordinator for the Juneau Reentry Coalition, opens a community meeting addressing the barriers to housing that post-incarcerated people in Juneau face. The meeting took place at Centennial Hall on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. (Richard McGrail | Juneau Empire File)
School Board member and District 2 Assembly candidate Emil Mackey speaks about his upcoming campaign at the State Office Building on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

School Board member begins run for Assembly

Emil Mackey had his paperwork ready to run for re-election to his spot on Juneau’s Board of Education. On the day he planned on announcing… Continue reading

School Board member and District 2 Assembly candidate Emil Mackey speaks about his upcoming campaign at the State Office Building on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
Beth Weldon resigned from the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on Tuesday as she prepares to run for mayor. Assembly member Norton Gregory intends to follow suit, as he has also declared his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Weldon resigns from Assembly for mayoral run, Gregory expected to do same

Beth Weldon resigned from the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on Tuesday, according to a release from the city, as her upcoming campaign for… Continue reading

Beth Weldon resigned from the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly on Tuesday as she prepares to run for mayor. Assembly member Norton Gregory intends to follow suit, as he has also declared his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Mayor Ken Koelsch is seen in this file photo from March. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau mayor Ken Koelsch won’t run for re-election

Juneau Mayor Ken Koelsch will not run for re-election, he announced Friday morning. In an interview with the Empire, Koelsch said he had been holding… Continue reading

Mayor Ken Koelsch is seen in this file photo from March. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Assembly Member Norton Gregory shares a report during Monday night’s City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting. Mayor Ken Koelsch selected Gregory as the chair of the city’s new subcommittee to look into the future of mining in Juneau. Assembly member Beth Weldon (left) will also be on the committee. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire File)

Assembly members Gregory, Weldon announce candidacy for mayor

In the hours following Mayor Ken Koelsch’s announcement that he will not run for re-election this fall, two Assembly members declared their candidacies for the… Continue reading

Assembly Member Norton Gregory shares a report during Monday night’s City and Borough of Juneau Assembly meeting. Mayor Ken Koelsch selected Gregory as the chair of the city’s new subcommittee to look into the future of mining in Juneau. Assembly member Beth Weldon (left) will also be on the committee. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire File)
An artist rendering of the New JACC. (Courtesy image)

Last-minute changes on the table for JACC ballot proposal

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members are running out of time to make adjustments to possible ballot measures for the Oct. 2 election.… Continue reading

An artist rendering of the New JACC. (Courtesy image)
Paul Kelly has announced his run for a seat on the Juneau School District’s Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

School Board candidate has eye on community partnerships, lower class sizes

Paul Kelly has always been interested in politics, but recently his interest has become a little more personal. Kelly, who moved from Anchorage to Juneau… Continue reading

Paul Kelly has announced his run for a seat on the Juneau School District’s Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Elizabeth (Ebett) Siddon is running for a seat on the Juneau Board of Education. (Elizabeth Siddon | Courtesy Photo)

Biologist intends to run for school board

With municipal election season quickly approaching, more local candidates are beginning to emerge. Elizabeth Siddon, a research fishery biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric… Continue reading

Elizabeth (Ebett) Siddon is running for a seat on the Juneau Board of Education. (Elizabeth Siddon | Courtesy Photo)