The Alaska Supreme Court issued a speedy ruling today, allowing the recall of Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel to be on an October special election ballot. In an unusually fast decision, the court heard the matter and ruled the same day.
Zaletel represents District 4, in the midtown area of Anchorage, where homeowners are particularly unhappy with her over her work to move homeless people into their neighborhoods.
The court did not issue its rationale, but stated it would write it up and release it at some point in the future. But meanwhile, the Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s Office needs to verify the signatures on the petitions and, if verified, schedule an election for this October for the District 4 voters.
The citizens, led by Russell Biggs, have been trying to get the recall of Zaletel on the ballot for nearly one year. They were also awarded nearly $19,000 in attorneys’ fees, to be paid by the Municipality, which opposed their efforts to recall Zaletel. That opposition was under the previous administration of acting mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson.
Read: Zaletel recall petitioners submit signatures to city clerk
“Meg Zaletel and the Muni suffered what is likely the quickest Supreme Court legal loss in Alaska history today with the court rejecting her appeal in record time. The petition has been affirmed by the highest court in Alaska to be both legally and factually sufficient, and now, after a year of legal obstruction and bureaucratic obstruction by the Muni and Zaletel, Anchorage citizens will finally get the opportunity to hold her accountable,” Biggs said.
