Reports from the Bronson for Mayor ground team indicate that as many as one-third of the voters in the Anchorage municipality are unaware there’s a runoff election in the mayor’s race.
The ballots were mailed by the Washington state printer on Wednesday, April 21, and some residents reported getting ballots on Friday. Others in Anchorage, Eagle River and Girdwood, say their ballots have not yet arrived.
The Bronson for Mayor campaign volunteers hit the neighborhoods Saturday and knocked on about 1,000 doors in Anchorage and another 1,000 in Eagle River. Volunteers said while a few people had already voted, others had not received ballots, and a shocking number of residents didn’t know about the runoff; they assumed that Dave Bronson had won, since he edged out Forrest Dunbar in the April 6 election, 33-31 percent. There were 15 candidates on the ballot.
The Charter specifies if no candidate for mayor receives more than 45% of the votes cast, that a runoff election is required to be held within three weeks of certification of the election between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. That’s Bronson and Dunbar in a race that appears to be neck-and-neck.
The runoff is a vote-by-mail or drop-box election. Traditional polling places will not be open and are not an option for voting on Election Day, but there are Anchorage Vote Centers that will allow people to vote in person. The final date for the ballots to be received is May 11.
More information, including where to drop your ballot if you prefer to do so rather than mail it, can be found at this link.
