Voters will head to the polls today to elect the City and Borough of Juneau’s 13th mayor since incorporation in 1970, as well as two new members of the CBJ Assembly and three members of the Juneau School District Board of Education. They’ll also have the opportunity to vote on this year’s ballot propositions.
Polls open across Juneau at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Juneau’s candidates for mayor are Merrill Sanford, a former three-term Assemblymember and retired firefighter, and Cheryl Jebe, treasurer of the Juneau League of Women Voters and a retired state employee.
Candidates for Assembly District 1 are Paul Nowlin, a political newcomer and office manager at Petro Marine Services, and Loren Jones, a retired state worker who fell just short of winning election to the Assembly last year.
In Assembly District 2, Jerry Nankervis, a commercial fisherman who retired last year as captain in the Juneau Police Department, is the only candidate on the ballot. He is opposed, however, by therapist and mediator Dixie Hood, who filed as a write-in candidate last Thursday.
Those wishing to cast a vote for Hood will have to physically write in her name on the line available in the District 2 section of the ballot and fill in the bubble next to it.
The school board elects its members at large. It has three seats to fill this year, and five candidates — the board’s vice president, Andrea “Andi” Story; the Department of Education and Early Development’s Parents as Teachers coordinator and Juneau school board incumbent Phyllis Carlson; former board member and clinical psychologist Destiny Sargeant; former Tongass School of Arts and Sciences Academic Policy Committee president and state employee Michelle Johnston; and computer technician Will Muldoon — are vying to win them.
The top three vote-getters in the school board race will be elected.
All contested races this year are for a three-year term, meaning the seats of those who win the election will be up again in the 2015 municipal election.
Voters will also decide the fate of two ballot propositions.
Proposition 1 would authorize a $25 million general obligation bond issue for various projects around Juneau, including the construction of an Eaglecrest Learning Center and terminal renovations at the Juneau International Airport. To pay down the bond debt, an additional $39 per $100,000 of assessed value would be levied annually in property tax starting in 2018 and lasting until 2033.
Proposition 2, a five-year extension of the 1 percent temporary sales tax beginning next October, would fund nearly $29.5 million in projects — including the proposed public library in Dimond Park, matching funds for the airport’s planned Snow Removal Equipment Facility, and deferred maintenance on public buildings, parks and trails — and pay $5 million into the city’s budget reserve, or “rainy day fund.”
Ten million dollars from the sales tax extension would go toward retiring bond debt if both propositions pass. That money would be divided up between two projects on the bond funding list — Centennial Hall renovation and Aurora Harbor reconstruction — if Proposition 2 passes but Proposition 1 fails.
If Proposition 1 passes but Proposition 2 fails, the annual levy for bond debt retirement would be $42 per $100,000 of assessed value starting next year, as that $10 million would not be available from the sales tax to pay down the debt.
Due to statewide redistricting, several precincts and polling places in Juneau have changed since last year’s election.
The Auke Bay Fire Station, Nugget Mall, the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal, Mendenhall Mall, Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Glacier Valley Baptist Church, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, the Douglas Public Library, the Juneau Arts and Culture Center, Northern Light United Church, the Tlingit and Haida Community Council Building, Alaska Electric Light and Power, and the Juneau Fire Station are the sites for Election Day voting this year.
Alaska’s toll-free polling place locator number is 1-888-383-8683.
“A voter can call that number and it’s kind of an automated messaging system,” City Clerk Laurie Sica explained. “It asks the voter for their voter number or their Social Security number, and then it will tell the person where to go to vote.”
New voter cards issued by the Alaska Division of Elections this summer also have the updated precinct information on them.
In-person absentee voting began on Sept. 17 at several polling places. Voters are entitled to cast an absentee ballot in person for any reason starting 15 days prior to each election.
Sica said absentee voting is already ahead of last year’s total.
“We’re doing good on absentee voting. We’ve had probably about 1,070 ballots cast as of this afternoon, about 3:30, and that’s not including any that come in by mail … or any of the by-fax ballots,” Sica said Monday afternoon. “Last year, we had a total of 1,060 absentee ballots, so we’re over last year’s amount.”
“We’re just encouraging people to get out and vote,” said Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, which does not administer municipal elections in Juneau. “Municipal elections generally have a low turnout.”
Juneau is one of many communities across Alaska holding its election today, the first Tuesday of October.
In Southeast Alaska, voters in Sitka and Wrangell will also be selecting a mayor today (http://bit.ly/O12Z7x). Municipal elections are also being held in Haines and Municipality of Skagway boroughs.
Fairbanks North Star Borough is the largest municipality holding its election today in Alaska. As in Juneau, Sitka and Wrangell, voters there are also choosing a mayor.
Today is also the date for Regional Educational Attendance Area elections, which are held throughout the unorganized parts of the state and are administered by the Alaska Division of Elections, Fenumiai’s agency.
The closest REAAs to Juneau is Chatham, or REAA 18, which includes Angoon, Gustavus and Tenakee Springs (http://bit.ly/O13eQ3). There are two other REAAs in Southeast Alaska.
Fenumiai said she is not sure why REAA elections are held the same day as many of Alaska’s municipal elections, but she speculated that the familiarity of a first-Tuesday-of-October election in the state may be a reason, “just to make things easier.”
“Perhaps it’s just because it’s kind of like their municipal elections,” Fenumiai ventured. “Most municipal elections have school board races on them, and so this is to elect their school boards.”
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (26)
Add commentGO VOTE
Even if you do not want to vote for me personally, go out and vote; that is your true voice. Thank you everyone for your support along the way, I appreciate all of you. Thank you to everyone who sat down with me to talk about the issues from various departments, industries and cultures throughout Juneau, and S.E. Thank you to everyone who took the time to email me, or write comments in the Empire, to ask me questions, bring things to my attention, or let me know facts (and opinions alike) that were important to the topics. Go Vote.
Vote No on Prop 2 and let whoever sits on the Assembly next rewrite it so that we can vote yes before the expiration date.
Thank you.
You've got 2 votes coming
You've got 2 votes coming from our household, Paul!
@Kara
Thank you Kara, and family.
No on Prop 1
Prop 1 is a sham! CBJ cannot tax us enough today so this bond proposition reaches into the future and takes tax revenue from 2018 to 2023. Glad there will be three new faces on the Assembly, Prop 1 is a new low for the Assembly.
starve
the beast that is irresponsible government. No on 1 & 2
I will be voting for Prop. 1,
I will be voting for Prop. 1 and 2
It's all about "public" investment. We are investing in our town folks. It's either this or private investment which probably will not happen. Let's keep our town smart and invest in it. Investing in our town creates jobs in both the private and public sectors. These props will help each and every one of us.
Think about it - Right now there are record low rates. Our basic infrastructure is decrepit and needs to be rebuilt. Any business leader with a brain would leap at the opportunity to do work that we have to do at record low costs. We would be creating good jobs for our kids that are above the ground - think about it.
Mayor - Cheryl Jebe
District 1 - Loren Jones
District 2 - Dixie Hood (Write-in)
These are the folks that will do it.
Some people would have are
Some people would have are town crumble away ...... this hurts all our investments yours and mine........
@ABNOTEY
Putting our youth in debt before they are old enough to vote, so that we may build a library in an ever increasing digital world is not an investment; but you are right about the candidates that are for the propositions. You may be right and I may be wrong; but I strongly disagree with your position Sir/Madam.
Hi Paul - We are all deeply
Hi Paul - We are all deeply concerned about deficits and spending, but when people are asked what they are most concerned about, people overwhelmingly say jobs and the economy, not deficits. There is no better time than right now to invest in our town. Its about keeping our children and the state capital in Juneau and staying competitive.
The other thing is that not all families can afford new books or the latest digital thing but libraries allow everyone to have access to them.
Abby
@ABNOTEY
I wholeheartedly agree with your point about the less fortunate being able to use the library for free; especially if they cannot afford books and digital alternatives. However, children have access at their school libraries, and adults have access to the bus system. I am pro-libraries, and I almost feel bad about opposing the new library, because the Friends of the Library are great people and they do a lot for our community; but I just cannot justify the costs, when we should be looking to pay our bills first. Perhaps in the future Juneau will have a good surplus of revenue and I would change my mind and be all for another library. And if people think we need one now, they should take your advice and vote for the 3 candidates that you suggested; because I cannot support this issue at this time (and I am not going to lie to your face to gain your vote), as much as it pains me to go against a library, because education is so important to me; and Loren and Cheryl both said they support the 1%/Bond Issue, and Dixie is from the Friends of the Library, so I think your information sounds correct about the candidates. Thank you for sharing your viewpoint in a polite and civilized manner; as it gets personal in here sometimes. I do not blame you for your way of thinking about it, this is a tough one.
Go Vote:
This household.
2-no on Prop. 1
2-no on Prop. 2
2 for Sanford
2 for Nowlin
The Secret Ballot
From Wikipedia: "The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of political privacy.
...Provisions are made at the polling place for the voters to record their preferences in secret. The ballots are specifically designed to eliminate bias and to prevent anyone from linking voter to ballot. This system is also known as the Australian ballot, because it originated in Australia during the 1850s. In the United States, it is also known as the Massachusetts ballot since Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to use the secret ballot. In the U.S., voting by secret ballot was universal by 1892..."
Interesting that we work so hard and spend so much money to provide a secret ballot and then folks broadcast who and what they're supporting (or against).
@Milspec & Spiff
@Milspec - Thank you.
@Spiff - have you seen the amount of bumper stickers that promote a president? Just because we have the option of secrecy, does not mean that it is prohibited to be open. On that note, I am going to vote for me too...shhh! Only razzing you, hopefully this did not come off otherwise. Either way, have a nice day.
Thanks for sharing Milspec.,
......like you thought none of us had figured that out by now?
Whatcha gonna blow up in celebration, if your homies win?
It's the only opinion any of us has, that really matters.
GET OUT AND VOTE PEOPLE!!!
Agree with ima49er
Go vote, your voice is stronger whispering in the voting booth than it is yelling in these forums.
GO VOTE!!!
CLASS ACT
It's so refreshing to have an OPEN, HONEST, and DOWN to EARTH candidate to vote for, Paul! Thank you for running - and thank you for listening to us.
At the end of the evening, when you are a new assembly member, your theory will be proven: By being a "digitally available" candidate you will win this election. Many people think the Empire forums are "evil," but I think this will prove to be a strength for you - you showed up, identified yourself, and answered questions, listened and debated in a RESPECTFUL manner. Also your availability via e-mail and your website goes to show that we're not a "library society" anymore. Most everything happens online, and that's how people want access to their representatives as well.
Good luck to you - and Juneau, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!!!!
@SueDoeNimby
Thank you. I really would like to see the City implement a forum like this for the public to communicate with the Assembly members. Even though people do have the option to sit in on Assembly meetings, or email their representatives, they do not do so all that often. However, people love their smartphones, Facebook, etc.; so I figure it is worth a try to set something up on the CBJ website, and see what happens.
Come on Paul
I proposed to broadcast the Assembly meetings live over the internet (audio and video in real-time) for a few bucks and was rejected. It is novel you think the Assembly wants to interact with the public though, I had that notion too until reality took over.
btw, it included real time chat for those watching
In fact, the service I proposed allowed for real-time chat so the viewers could interact with each other and frankly if the Assembly allowed, interact with it.
Good luck, I have enjoyed your participation in the debate.
@bjfluetsch
That is disappointing. All I hear from them is that the people simply do not try and contact them; although, I have not spoken with every member. I wonder if they would frown about an Assembly member staying in contact with the public in this manner; I would pay the $35 out of pocket to keep a website up and running where the community could debate over issues and the Assembly could interject and converse. It sounds cheesy, but this all started to give back to the community; but how can one do that if we do not hear the community's voice? I am still going to look into a Assembly forum even if it is unlikely. I am not much for giving up.
I never thought about a live feed, that would be great, with interactions; I guess you mean the messages would go across the side of the screen or something. At one point, I was thinking of a sort of "highlight reel" that would just touch on the main points of the topics, who voted for what, and maybe interviews with Assembly(wo)men about their stances. Of course, I was going to look for someone to take that on, because it would be hard to be on the Assembly and film it at the same time; not impossible, but technical difficulties would occur.
Bogus to include the Sealaska Project
The Sealaska project is a privately owned piece of real estate and will be owned by a private non-profit, not local government.
Taxpayers should not be expected to pay for something like the Sealaska Heritage Institute building. SHI has already received money from the State of Alaska and apparently from the federal government. If Sealaska & SHI want a building of that size, then let them pay for it themselves.
Why is CCFR
using fire trucks and ambulances to take their employees to the polling place?
Do all CBJ employees get delivered to the polling place on our dime?
I can't help but wonder if it has something to to with the former careers of the candidates....
That good ol' boys network rumor, is probably just a bunch of nonsense.....
Paul
The Alaska Legislature broadcasts and records 100% of all committee meetings. The technology is simple, relatively inexpensive and easily implemented. The CBJ is the ONLY municipal government in Southeast that DOES NOT broadcast its Assembly meetings.
This cannot be by accident Paul....
@ima49er they work from 8:00
@ima49er they work from 8:00 am to 8:00 am. They are on duty when they vote.
I wrote in Mark Farmer for District 2.
When and where will the
When and where will the results start being posted?
curtis
Then they should be voting absentee, like everyone else who isn't able to vote when the polls are open.
Taking two CBJ/CCFR emergency vehicles over to Nugget Mall, for three fellas to vote.....
You can use what ever color lipstick you want on that one, and it won't look any better to me.
I guess if one of the mayoral candidates wasn't a longtime firefighter and recently termed out assembly member....it would strike me differently.