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In 2022, Alaska Division of Elections cut ballot access to military at JBER. Will it repeat in 2024?

Suzanne Downing
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In 2022, Alaska Division of Elections cut ballot access to military at JBER. Will it repeat in 2024?

Just before the 2022 primary election, the Alaska Division of Elections cut in half the number of polling places available to military families on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Instead of two places to vote, there was only one, and they were seven miles apart.

It is akin to an Anchorage voter having to drive from Dimond Blvd. in south Anchorage all the way to City Hall in downtown in order to vote.

Now, activists in Anchorage are trying to get the second polling place put back in place to prevent voter suppression of military members by the Division of Elections.

Although the closing of one of the polling locations was protested by one retired military member, the Division said it could not reverse its decision, Must Read Alaska sources said.

On Tuesday, Anchorage political activist and former Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich met with a representative from the Division of Elections to discuss returning a polling location to the Orion Elementary School, which is on the Elmendorf side of the joint base. As of this writing, there is no polling location planned for that former site.

Election watchdogs argue that one polling place on base is inadequate.

“Thirty-seven precinct polling locations in District 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 and 22, as well as the other three District 18 precinct polling locations are geographically closer to the JBER Elmendorf side voters than their current Precinct 18-555 polling location at Ursa Minor Elementary School. No other Anchorage voters north of Tudor Road are required to travel two miles to cast their ballot. The 14.5 mile JBER’s Elmendorf side to Ursa Minor Elementary round-trip drive time for on-duty military personnel exceeds 30 minutes,” said Ruedrich.

Activists noted that military Election Day turnout has historically been low, but military and non-military organizations have been working diligently to increase voter turnout on Alaska’s bases.

“The Division of Elections decision pulls the rug out from under those patriotic efforts and sends the wrong message to Anchorage’s military community.  Why should they believe that their vote matters when the State of Alaska cuts their opportunity to vote in half?” Ruedrich commented.

“The Division of Elections needs to recreate a regular precinct with its own unique voter roll for zip code 99506 for the Elmendorf side residents to vote at Orion Elementary and maintain the second precinct with its own unique voter roll for zip code 99505 for the Fort Richardson side residents to vote at Ursa Minor Elementary School,” he said.

Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River agrees.

“Disenfranchising Alaska military the opportunity to vote in a polling placed located on JBER is a complete lack of understanding of what our military do, their way of life, and the limited personal time they actually have,” said Rep. Allard, who has many military members living in her district. “With the demanding working hours, our military members and families deserve to have the flexibility and a logical location near where they live. We must do better and help with a better quality of life for our military members and their families.”

Ruedrich is asking Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom to restore the JBER Elmendorf precinct for the 2024 Primary and General Elections, but sources close to the Division of Elections told Must Read Alaska that no such plans are under way.

JBER has over 32,000 service members, civilians, and family members, according to the U.S. Military.

By combining voters into one precinct, some believe that career bureaucrats are trying to suppress the military vote.

The turnout results from two gubernatorial election years show the possible problem (skipping over the 2020 presidential election, as military members vote in greater numbers in those years):

2018 turnout at JBER

Registered voters: JBER 1 – 4,138; JBER 2 – 2,957

Total registered voters – 7,095 

Votes cast: JBER 1 – 444  10.37%; JBER 2 – 218  7.37%;

Total votes cast – 662 for a 9.33% turnout

2022 turnout at JBER with combined precinct polling to one location

Registered voters: 7,612

Total votes cast: 483 for a 6.5% turnout

Kelly Tshibaka: Hear Dennis Prager on STAND podcast and catch him in Fairbanks on Saturday

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Kelly Tshibaka: Hear Dennis Prager on STAND podcast and catch him in Fairbanks on Saturday

By KELLY TSHIBAKA

In a recent episode of Kelly Tshibaka’s STAND podcast, Dennis Prager, the visionary and founder of PragerU, discussed the remarkable ways America and Israel are enduring ruthless intolerance from the Left. Prager has dedicated his life to shaping the next generation of Americans with conservative philosophy.

Prager will be the keynote speaker in Fairbanks on Feb. 24 at an evening event sponsored by Alaska Family Council.

PragerU’s conservative education platform is known for its ability to quickly and easily explain complex historical and moral concepts. With more than one billion annual views (mostly young adults), PragerU has had a substantial impact on influencing the ideologies of the next generation.

During the Tshibaka interview on the STAND podcast, Prager discussed the challenges of ideological brainwashing among America’s youth, as well as the influence of social media in countering propaganda, revealing parallels between the intolerance of the Left and the rigidity of groups like Hamas.

Prager cites the outcry of teachers’ unions against anyone showing a five minute PragerU video in class as an example of the Left’s intolerance. “There is no example since the Russian Revolution in 1917 of the Left allowing dissent,” he said. “From Vladimir Lenin, to your local university, they never allow dissent.”

Prager went on to tie this intolerance with the current war in the Middle East, arguing that a group’s inability to tolerate opposing opinions usually indicates they are lying. When a young American asked Prager how one could know which side is telling the truth, he responded: “The side that censors is usually the liar.”

That is why the Left cannot tolerate even five minutes of a PragerU video. As Dennis Prager said himself, “Truth wallops lies in five minutes.”

Dennis Prager will be speaking more on the Left’s intolerance and the war on Hamas at a luncheon event on Saturday at the Wedgewood Resort in Fairbanks. The event is being sponsored by Alaska Family Council and tickets can be purchased from their website online at https://www.akfamily.org.

Dennis Prager’s full interview on STAND can be seen here.

Kelly Tshibaka is the host of the podcast, TV, and radio show STAND, and the 2022 Alaska Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. She co-hosts the show with her husband, Niki Tshibaka.

Kelly Tshibaka on the Must Read Alaska Show at this link. And here.

Kelly Tshibaka: On STAND podcast, Ambassador Ric Grenell talks about Germany’s inadvertent role in Russia-Ukraine war
Kelly Tshibaka: Beyond politics to post-partisan solutions with Seneca Scott

Trump, Haley and the battle for South Carolina that is all but over

Suzanne Downing
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Trump, Haley and the battle for South Carolina that is all but over

It’s all over but the shouting, if the polls are to be believed in South Carolina.

As Palmetto State voters head to the voting booth on Saturday, the opinion polls show former President Donald Trump in the lead and South Carolina former Gov. Nikki Haley trailing far behind in the state she should be able to win.

Haley has already said that if she loses the South Carolina primary, which appears almost certain, she won’t drop from contention. She spent the past few weeks burning through $6 million on ads and traveling from hamlet to town to city in the state she once led, looking for votes. She has spent more money this month than she raised in January, according to her FEC reports.

Trump, however, has not spent much time in the state. Last weekend he stayed at Mar-a-Lago, and had a meeting there with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday — President’s Day.

On Thursday night he was in Nashville, Tenn. talking to a group of religious broadcasters.

“Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them,” Trump told the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention, in classic Trump style. “And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both.”

On Saturday evening, Trump will be speaking at CPAC, the big conservative gathering in Washington, D.C., which has already thrown its support to him. The speech is highly anticipated among conservative activists, whether they are there in person or watching online.

By the numbers: Trump FEC reports show he is fundraising more than Haley and Biden in Alaska, but by how much?

After South Carolina’s primary comes Michigan, Idaho, and Missouri on March 2, District of Columbia on March 3, and North Dakota on March 4.

Super Tuesday, March 5, is when more than one third of all Republican delegates are up for grabs, with these primaries and caucuses:

Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Maine
Massachusetts
Minnesota
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
American Samoa

1,215 delegates needed to win the nomination. Trump has 63 so far, and Haley has 17. The nine delegates pledged to Ron DeSantis will probably go to Trump, since DeSantis dropped out and endorsed him. Same with the three delegates pledged to Vivek Ramaswamy, who has also dropped out and endorsed Trump.

Trump wins Nevada Republican Caucus with 97.6% of the vote
Breaking: Trump makes it two with New Hampshire

Education bill passes House with $175 million in perpetual increased funding for school districts

Suzanne Downing
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Education bill passes House with $175 million in perpetual increased funding for school districts

After days of caucusing and partisan bickering, the Alaska House of Representatives passed a major committee substitute for Senate Bill 140, as an omnibus education package that includes a hike to the base student allocation (BSA) that adds $175 million to school districts in the fiscal years going forward. The bill has money for the Reads Act, student transportation, and support for correspondence and charter schools, and grants for rural school internet.

Rules Chair Rep. Craig Johnson reminded legislators that in the Legislature no one ever gets everything he or she wants. That became the theme of the night, with many legislators standing to agree that the bill isn’t perfect, but it allows schools to plan for next year.

“The best thing we did we today for student retention is to give them [schools] some certainty,” Johnson said, adding that he hopes he does not regret his vote in favor of the bill and that schools spend the money wisely.

The base student allocation, as the bill now stands, will increase by $680 per student, the first increase to the permanent formula in many years. This means in future years, the cost will be added into school funding’s baseline formula. The Democrat minority had sought amounts of up to $1,400.

The final compromise was not as comprehensive as the Republican-led House Majority had initially hoped; however, caucus members consider the final product a “path forward that has the possibility of surviving a conference committee with Senate colleagues,” the majority wrote in a statement.

“Major wins for the House Majority include additional support for Alaska families who choose correspondence programs by improving parity with brick-and-mortar schools; support and protections for Alaska’s charter schools; increased funding for pupil transportation and additional support for ongoing implementation of the READS act designed to ensure all Alaska students are reading proficient by the 3rd grade,” the majority said.

“The House has been having some difficult but necessary conversations during the last few days. As we said at the beginning of session, education was going to be one of our top priorities and we delivered on that promise. While the final bill fell short of what we’d proposed earlier, I’d still call it a ‘qualified’ success. Given what was at stake, failure was not an option,” said House Speaker Cathy Tilton.

Rep. Tom McKay of Anchorage expressed hope that the ability to work together to pass education funding would bode well for working together on other priorities, such as the need to ensure lower-cost energy in the future.

“This BSA increase will otherwise be consumed by energy costs,” he said.

Rep. Frank Tomaszewski of Fairbanks said that support for the schools at Eielson Air Force Base outside of Fairbanks is a state duty and he was happy the two sides of the political aisle could work together to meet that commitment, since school closures are pending in Fairbanks.

Rep. Bryce Edgmon of Dillingham reminded colleagues that the underlying purpose of the bill was for internet in rural schools, but the House has done something historic, which is to not wait until the final days of session to resolve education funding. And this would be a major help to school districts, he said.

The bill contains the $40 million in Broadband Access Grant funds for better internet access and speeds for schools in rural Alaska.  The BAG provision was time-sensitive because those monies must be appropriated by Feb. 27. 

“Twenty-four hours ago I was doubtful we could get where we are tonight and I hope it sets the tone to get the budget out … on time,” Edgmon said. Edgmon represents districts that will benefit from the BAG grants.

Rep. Mike Cronk of Tok said he was frustrated that the education lobby had used children as pawns to get votes, and admonished them to not do that in the future.

Others described the past few days as a “tough” and “ugly” process, and said the final bill was a compromise and it was good that lawmakers persevered. The mood was hopeful that the progress would mean the razor-thin majority and minority would be able to continue to work on other major issues.

The bill will return back to the Senate, where it may be changed and will be hammered out in a conference committee between the two bodies.

Sen. Dan Sullivan advocates for Alaska in speech to Legislature

Suzanne Downing
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Sen. Dan Sullivan advocates for Alaska in speech to Legislature

In a spirited address to the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, first was elected in 2014, reaffirmed Alaska’s position as the “superpower of seafood” in the United States, while highlighting the challenges and victories in the state’s fishing industry, bashing the Biden Administration for multiple adverse actions against Alaska, and criticizing President Joe Biden for not taking a tougher stance against war-mongering Iran, which has been attacking America’s assets in the Mediterranean.

He started his Wednesday morning speech by highlighting the 56 lockup orders from the Biden Administration — actions taken against the state of Alaska’s economy, since President Joe Biden took office.

“This is what I call the ‘Last Frontier Lock-Up’ — 56 orders and actions specifically targeting our state by the Biden administration, something I’m fighting against every day,” he said, while showing a map that identified every executive order Biden has made that has hurt Alaska.

“It’s an outrage. No other state in the country gets singled out like this. I handed a version of this chart to the President when the congressional delegation met with him last March on Willow. I told him, respectfully, that this was just wrong, and we needed a ceasefire in this war against Alaska,” he said.

Sullivan, now in his 10th year in the Senate and a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, emphasized the crucial role Alaska plays in the nation’s fisheries, stating, “Fish is in Alaska’s DNA.”

“I never tire of telling my colleagues that Alaska is the ‘superpower of seafood.’ Over 66% of all seafood harvested in America—commercial, sport, subsistence—comes from our state. 

Sullivan recounted advocating for Alaska’s fisheries to federal officials, and touted his staff as the best equipped to address the challenges facing Alaska’s fishing communities.

One such challenge, he highlighted, was the impact of geopolitical tensions on Alaska’s seafood exports. Sullivan recalled the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to sanctions on Russian seafood imports into the United States.

However, a loophole exploited by Russian and Chinese officials allowed Russian seafood to enter the U.S. market through China, undercutting Alaska fishermen and indirectly supporting authoritarian regimes.

After years of persistent advocacy by the Alaska delegation and the state, the loophole was closed by the U.S. Treasury in late December, and went into effect on Feb. 21, the day of Sullivan’s speech to the Legislature. That announcement received a round of applause from the House and Senate.

Sullivan addressed Lower 48 environmental radicals’ attempts to disrupt Alaska’s small-scale troll salmon fishery through legal challenges. He praised the collaborative efforts between the state and the federal delegation that prevented the financial harm to trollers last year.

Highlighting concerns over declining salmon populations, particularly king salmon, Sullivan pointed to the establishment of the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. Championed by his wife, Julie Fate Sullivan, the task force aims to investigate the causes behind salmon declines and formulate strategies to restore healthy salmon runs in the state.

Finally, Senator Sullivan advocated for the inclusion of fishermen in federal support programs akin to those available to farmers. He introduced the National Seafood Supply Act as part of negotiations for the Farm Bill, aiming to provide financial security and risk mitigation measures for Alaska’s fishing operations.

Sullivan delved with as much enthusiasm and depth into issues such as energy, national security, Mexican cartels bringing fentanyl to the 49th State, Iranian aggression, the war in Ukraine, the creation of an intellectual hub in Alaska, housing, and more.

He even broke the news that Anchorage state Sen. Forrest Dunbar has recently become engaged to be married.

In closing, Sullivan expressed optimism about the future of Alaska’s fisheries, urging continued collaboration and support from both federal and state entities to ensure the prosperity can grow the state.

Listicle: Will ranked-choice voting repeal petition have enough signatures to get on the fall ballot?

Suzanne Downing
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Listicle: Will ranked-choice voting repeal petition have enough signatures to get on the fall ballot?

The petition to ditch Alaska’s ranked-choice voting was filed with the Division of Elections in January, and the Division has been busy verifying the signatures to make sure there are enough to put the question on the ballot.

Repeal of ranked-choice voting group turns in 42,000 signatures to Division of Elections to get on ballot

The group that is trying to get the ranked-choice voting repealed, Alaskans for Honest Elections, filed over 42,000 signatures. It needed only 26,705 of those to be qualified as registered voters in Alaska, with a legitimate address, and other details.

But the group also needs 30 out of 40 House districts to be proportionally represented by signers of the petition. After over six weeks of waiting for the verification process, it still needs four more districts to qualify for the ballot.

From data acquired from the Division of Elections, it may be close. Democrat-dominated districts in Juneau and downtown Anchorage are still short qualified signatures, although the division is still counting. Districts 36 through 40 are coming up short.

For example, in District 40, the farthest north in Alaska, where Barrow and Kotzebue are located, there are 36 qualified signatures, but 190 would be required to add that district to the list. It appears unlikely that District 40 will have enough names to be one of the three remaining districts needed.

At the south end of the state — District 1 Ketchikan — the signature gatherers only needed 482 names, but 798 have qualified so far. Ketchikan is represented in this effort to repeal ranked-choice voting, and then some.

Who is really behind ranked-choice voting? The usual suspects

The total of qualified signatures so far — 33,650 — exceeds what is needed, so now it comes down to having 30 districts.

Of the signatures examined by the Division, 1,928 of were duplicates, 20 had no address provided, 57 had no date by their signature, 594 had no identification, 102 signed before they were registered, 495 were not registered voters, and there were a few other miscellaneous reasons why names were disqualified. So far, 3,580 signers have been disqualified.

Here’s where the signature verification process stands, with Alaskans for Honest Elections needing just three more House districts to qualify for the November ballot:

Hayden Ludwig: Alaskans take note that Georgia has seen the light on ranked-choice voting
Ranked-choice voting: A partisan plot to engineer elections, says government accountability group
Election oversight agency recommends fines for group trying to repeal ranked-choice voting
Georgia Senate passes bill to ban ranked-choice voting

Tune in: Rob Yundt on the Must Read Alaska Show

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Tune in: Rob Yundt on the Must Read Alaska Show

By JOHN QUICK

In the latest episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host John Quick engages with Mat-Su Assemblyman Rob Yundt, an Alaska Senate candidate, who embodies the spirit of public service and community dedication. A Republican and former mixed martial arts competitor, Yundt is running for Senate Seat N.

Yundt opens up about the motivations behind his decision to run for office, highlighting his commitment to giving back to the community. He donates his entire Assembly salary to Alaska nonprofits. Yundt was the coaching director at
Pioneer Grappling Academy, a martial arts program; was Mat-Su Homebuilders Association president; and Alaska Homebuilders Association president.

As a business owner and family man, Yundt brings diverse experiences and a fresh perspective to politics, advocating for the use of common-sense business practices into government operations. 

His stance on halting the government’s borrowing spree to fund its activities sets him apart as a candidate focused on sustainable financial policies.

Tune in to discover how Rob Yundt’s passion for public service and pragmatic approach to governance could shape the future of Alaska’s legislative landscape.

For more information about Rob Yundt and his vision for Alaska, visit his campaign website.

The Must Read Alaska show is the No. 1 political podcast in Alaska and the winner of numerous national awards.

Michael Tavoliero: It’s all a conspiracy? A look at the underlying narratives

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Michael Tavoliero: It’s all a conspiracy? A look at the underlying narratives

By MICHAEL TAVOLIERO

What if there was a plan, conceived in the incredibly productive times of the 1950s and 1960s, to reshape the world order as we knew it? 

What if this plan involved an unlikely alliance between the global elite and Islamic radicals? 

It might sound far-fetched at first but consider the profound societal and cultural changes that have occurred since the tragic events of 9/11. 

Has there been a noticeable shift in the social and cultural fabric of countries like the United States and parts of Europe? 

Are we witnessing the erosion of the post-World War II consensus, which once upheld principles of interdependent mutuality and collective security against the evil that plagued the world in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s?

Amidst the relentless barrage of tragic news and loss that inundates our daily lives, one cannot help but wonder if powerful individuals and groups are collaborating to disrupt the already fragile homeostasis in the world. 

Could they be orchestrating a transition towards a fear-based existence, ultimately paving the way for the rise of totalitarianism on a global scale? 

It does seem like a scenario straight out of ancient prophecies or Alex Jones, yet recent events have given rise to the reality of such speculations.

While conspiracy theories often elicit skepticism, it is worth delving into the underlying narratives that fuel such conjectures, especially when many conspiracy theories have turned out to be grounded in reality. At the core of this particular theory lies the notion that the global elite, consisting of influential figures from the realms of wealth, politics, and industry, are seeking to consolidate their power and influence over the masses. In their pursuit of dominance, they purportedly view Islamic radicals as valuable allies, leveraging religious extremism to sow chaos and instability in strategic regions around the world.

The adage, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” is often attributed to Winston Churchill.

In this narrative, can the collaboration between the global elite and Islamic radicals serve as a means to an end – the establishment of a totalitarian regime marked by authoritarian rule, pervasive surveillance, and the suppression of dissent? This dystopian vision paints a picture where individual freedoms are sacrificed in the name of security and safety, and citizens are subjected to behavioral modification, constant monitoring and control.

While such a grand conspiracy seems implausible to some, there are historical precedents and contemporary developments that lend credence to these concerns. The rise of authoritarian regimes, the erosion of democratic norms, and the proliferation of surveillance technologies all contribute to a growing sense of unease and distrust.

In the United States, the conversion of individual states, like Alaska, changes the idea of a constitutional republic into a shaded and clandestine monopoly of bureaucracies which urges the surrender of principles like free speech and association to a treatise of rules to be obeyed in day-to-day living. 

Not in Alaska … Hmmm … Remember Covid?

However, it is crucial to approach these theories with a critical eye and a healthy dose of skepticism. While there may be kernels of truth in some of the claims, attributing complex geopolitical events to a single, overarching conspiracy oversimplifies the intricate web of global dynamics. Instead of succumbing to fear and paranoia, it is imperative to engage with the world around us in a rational and discerning manner, focusing on empirical evidence and critical analysis.

Russian collusion enjoys the convenience of made-up empiricism to distract certainty, right?

Attributing complex geopolitical events and social phenomena to a single, monolithic conspiracy overlooks the multifaceted nature of global dynamics. The world is shaped by a myriad of interconnected factors, including politics, economics, ideology, culture, and history, making it challenging to reduce complex phenomena to simplistic explanations.

Should we omit climate change from this discussion?

While the idea of a conspiracy involving the global elite and Islamic radicals may capture the imagination of some, is it essential to approach such claims with caution and skepticism ignoring emotion and feelings and rely on empirical proof? Is this reminiscent of the person experiencing a flood only to be told there were several rescue attempts before their demise?

Or am I just a racist?

On the other hand, recently a family was investigated by Indiana officials for refusing to refer to their son using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biological sex. Despite the unsubstantiated claims of abuse, the State of Indiana claimed the parents made the child’s eating disorder worse and thus removed the child from his home even though this eating disorder worsened after he was removed and placed in a “transition-affirming” home. 

Michael Tavoliero is a writer at Must Read Alaska.

Wind knocks out power in Anchorage, Homer

Suzanne Downing
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Wind knocks out power in Anchorage, Homer

About 4,000 customers of Chugach Electric Association in Anchorage were without power on Thursday morning, as wintery winds blasted through the area with wet snow, especially knocking out power east of the New Seward Highway, but also affecting others from Lake Hood to downtown.

From the Chugach Electric summary, it looks like a lot of small outages, rather than one big area. The number of outages will keep crews busy on Thursday.

Campbell Airstrip area has 609, DeBarr has over 700, and O’Malley has over 655 as of 8:45 am.

A couple of small airplanes at Merrill Field flipped out of their tie-downs, according to local aviators.

Weather is 34 degrees with a high expected of 45 degrees.

Overnight, Homer Electric customers also had a weather-related power outage, but almost customers were showed as having power by Thursday morning. Winter weather advisories are in place across all of Southcentral Alaska at the National Weather Service.

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