The first still-unofficial results from Juneau’s annual election show the controversial “Ship-Free Saturdays” ballot proposition is failing decisively and that Mayor Beth Weldon will be reseated for her third term, fending off a challenge by the former chief executive officer of the Alaska Permanent Fund, Angela Rodell.
Ship-free Saturdays would have banned cruise ships with a capacity of 250 passengers or more from entering Juneau waters on Saturdays and on July 4. About 60% of voters sank the “Ship-free Saturday” effort led by Karla Hart.
Another controversial item on the Oct. 1 ballot was the effort to recall School Board President Deedie Sorensen and Vice President Emil Mackey, both of which have failed, with about 62% of voters saying “no” to the recall.
Some residents blame the school board because with falling enrollment, a couple of schools needed to be closed in Juneau, when in reality, the town is experiencing a rapid change in demographics; residents of child-bearing age are not having as many children as in past generations.
The unofficial results from Tuesday night:
Mayor
Angela Rodell – 2,512
Beth Weldon – 3,795
Assembly District 1
Neil Steininger – 3,561
Connor D. Ulmer – 1,940
Assembly District 2
Nathaniel (Nano) Brooks – 1,770
Dorene Lorenz – 628
Emily Mesch – 781
Mary Marks – 476
Maureen Hall – 2,172
Board of Education (top three win)
Amber Frommherz – 2,586
Jeff Redmond – 1,384
Elizabeth (Ebett) Siddon – 3,526
Jenny Thomas – 1,875
Will Muldoon – 3,171
Michelle Stuart Morgan – 1,658
Proposition #1 passed. General obligation bond for $12,750,000 for acquisition and installation of a replacement radio communication system.
Proposition #2 Ship-free Saturdays failed.
- YES – 2,586
- NO – 3,873
Proposition #3 passed. General obligation bond for $10,000,000 for sewer upgrades.
Juneau elections are now mail-in elections, modeled after Anchorage. Ballots were mailed to voters on Sept. 12 and began arriving back on Sept. 13. Qualified ballots received through Monday had been counted on Tuesday after 8 p.m.
A secondary set of unofficial preliminary results will be posted by the city clerk on Friday, Oct. 4 and a third set on Friday, Oct. 11.
“Part of the review process includes sending out cure letters to voters to ensure any missing information or signature remedies are addressed so those ballots can be approved for counting. Voters are encouraged to watch their mail and respond as soon as they receive a cure letter to make sure their ballot can be counted,” the Clerk’s Office said.
Mail-in elections have delayed results being known in a timely way, due to the errors made by voters on ballots and the fact that those errors may be corrected (cured) during a short timeframe. This method of ballot during presumes that voters have not left town and are checking their mail.
Official results will be certified Oct. 15.
that’s SO BS!!! ALL OF IT!