Election

Carol Beecher, the new director of the Alaska Division of Elections, speaks during a news conference on Thursday at the Alaska State Capitol. Beecher’s appointment as director was announced a day earlier by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who participated in a Thursday news conference by phone. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

New elections director says political ties won’t affect her work

Carol Beecher, a GOP donor, declines to say if she believes recent elections were fairly conducted

 

A by-mail ballot asks voters in 2020 to approve a measure calling for rank choice voting, which was approved. A petition is now circulating calling for another ballot measure to repeal rank choice, with the second-place candidates in both of Alaska’s most recent Congressional races among the most prominent supporters of the repeal. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Ranked choice repeal petition begins circulating

Kelly Tshibaka joins Sarah Palin as election losers leading effort to return to traditional voting

 

Gail Fenumiai talks about some of Alaska’s most unusual elections on Friday, her last day as director of the state Division of Elections in Juneau after a 20-year career with the division. Behind her are congratulatory and farewell plates covering the walls, while her floor was strewn with a “balloon drop” from well-wishers before she arrived. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Elections director makes a final call

Gail Fenumiai retires and gets her own balloon drop after 20-year career at division

 

Steve Lewis, foreground, and Stephen Sorensen from the Alaska State Review Board scan ballots from precincts where they were hand counted at the Division of Elections office Nov. 15. Board officials spent the period between the Nov. 8 election and its certification Wednesday performing about 20 different to verify the results. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Election certified, but challenges pending

Outcome of at least two state House races unknown, which may determine chamber’s leadership

Steve Lewis, foreground, and Stephen Sorensen from the Alaska State Review Board scan ballots from precincts where they were hand counted at the Division of Elections office Nov. 15. Board officials spent the period between the Nov. 8 election and its certification Wednesday performing about 20 different to verify the results. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Defeated candidates Kelly Tshibaka in the U.S. Senate race, left, Les Gara in the governor’s race, center, and Nick Begich in the U.S. House race are among the losers who could again be viable contenders and/or political figures leading up to the 2024 election, according to analysts. (Sources: Mark Thiessen / AP, Peter Segall / Juneau Empire, Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

What’s next for the election’s winners and losers?

Murkowski and Peltola may be key swing votes, Tshibaka the biggest “winner” of losers, analysts say.

Defeated candidates Kelly Tshibaka in the U.S. Senate race, left, Les Gara in the governor’s race, center, and Nick Begich in the U.S. House race are among the losers who could again be viable contenders and/or political figures leading up to the 2024 election, according to analysts. (Sources: Mark Thiessen / AP, Peter Segall / Juneau Empire, Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Pat Tynan, left, and Tom Melville, review absentee ballots Tuesday at the Division of Elections office at the Mendenhall Mall. The review process is taking place in a separate room from where ballots are being tallied for the official results.

Incumbents solidify positions in updated election count

Peltola, Murkowski and Dunleavy likely to prevail when ranked choice ballots are tallied Nov. 23

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Pat Tynan, left, and Tom Melville, review absentee ballots Tuesday at the Division of Elections office at the Mendenhall Mall. The review process is taking place in a separate room from where ballots are being tallied for the official results.
Two residents stand in voter booths on the first day of early and absentee in-person voting across the state for the Nov. 8 general election. Recent filings for candidates in statewide races shows spending ramping up as the big day approaches. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Spending spree as campaigns near end

APOC reports one week before election show ad blitz in governor’s race and by ConCon foes

Two residents stand in voter booths on the first day of early and absentee in-person voting across the state for the Nov. 8 general election. Recent filings for candidates in statewide races shows spending ramping up as the big day approaches. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola announce during the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention on Oct. 22 they will vote for each other in the Nov. 8 general election. The two incumbents are dominating their opponents in campaign contributions and available funds according to reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission as of Thursday.

Peltola, Murkowski still dominating fundraising

Incumbents in Congressional races have at least three times as much cash as their opponents combined

Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola announce during the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention on Oct. 22 they will vote for each other in the Nov. 8 general election. The two incumbents are dominating their opponents in campaign contributions and available funds according to reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission as of Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola dances with others attending a reelection campaign event Monday evening at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Peltola also attended a meet-and-greet at a coffee shop and met with local union members on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Peltola tells Juneau crowd reelection not a ‘slam dunk,’ encourages supporters to vote

“They’re not going to underestimate us a second time.”

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola dances with others attending a reelection campaign event Monday evening at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Peltola also attended a meet-and-greet at a coffee shop and met with local union members on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, poses for her official campaign biography photo this spring. (Kelly For Alaska)

Tshibaka sees more than red:Trump-back candidate discusses policy goals in Senate

Weighty words ranging from seabeds to outer space.

Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, poses for her official campaign biography photo this spring. (Kelly For Alaska)
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Get to know a candidate: Deedie Sorensen

She’s running for reelection to the Juneau School District Board of Education.

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Emil Robert Mackey III is running for a seat on the Juneau School District's Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Get to know a candidate: Emil Mackey

He’s running for reelection to the Juneau School District Board of Education.

Emil Robert Mackey III is running for a seat on the Juneau School District's Board of Education. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Rep. Chris Kurka, R-Wasilla, leaves the chambers of the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, March 19, 2021, after an hour of delays concerning the wording on his mask. On Monday, Kurka announced he was running for governor in 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Wasilla Rep announces gubernatorial bid

Open primaries and ranked choice.

Rep. Chris Kurka, R-Wasilla, leaves the chambers of the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, March 19, 2021, after an hour of delays concerning the wording on his mask. On Monday, Kurka announced he was running for governor in 2022. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
A voter fills out their ballot in the Thunder Mountain High School gymnasium during the 2020 general election. With more than a year to go before the 2022 election, spending is ramping up. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Statewide campaign coffers are filling up

Lots more to come.

A voter fills out their ballot in the Thunder Mountain High School gymnasium during the 2020 general election. With more than a year to go before the 2022 election, spending is ramping up. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
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Big spending, small mistakes from first time CBJ candidates

Full disclosure.

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School board member Emil Mackey places a ballot in the drop box at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Oct. 5. Three open seats on the Juneau School District Board of Education attracted eight candidates, including two write-in candidates. Based on the most recent election returns, write-in candidate Will Muldoon earned enough votes to win a seat on the board. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Professor says local results aren’t indicative of a national trend

Dynamics of the race led to write-in candidate win

School board member Emil Mackey places a ballot in the drop box at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Oct. 5. Three open seats on the Juneau School District Board of Education attracted eight candidates, including two write-in candidates. Based on the most recent election returns, write-in candidate Will Muldoon earned enough votes to win a seat on the board. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
This photo shows a ballot for the 2021 municipal election. Friday night, unofficial results including all ballots approved for counting were released. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Inching closer to final results

City clerk releases new batch of election returns Friday evening

This photo shows a ballot for the 2021 municipal election. Friday night, unofficial results including all ballots approved for counting were released. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A voter casts his ballot in Juneau’s municipal election at the Douglas Library on Sept. 23. On Monday evening, City and Borough of Juneau election officials issued updated election results. The count continued today and city officials expect to have additional returns on Oct. 15. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Vote count continues

Write-in candidate pulls ahead for likely spot on school board

A voter casts his ballot in Juneau’s municipal election at the Douglas Library on Sept. 23. On Monday evening, City and Borough of Juneau election officials issued updated election results. The count continued today and city officials expect to have additional returns on Oct. 15. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Sarah Traiger drops off a ballot at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Tuesday, the last day to cast a ballot in the City and Borough of Juneau’s 2021 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

City clerk releases unofficial election results

Voters appear to OK sales tax extension.

Sarah Traiger drops off a ballot at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library vote center on Tuesday, the last day to cast a ballot in the City and Borough of Juneau’s 2021 municipal election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Mayor Beth Weldon

Get to know a candidate: Beth Weldon

She’s running unopposed for a second term as mayor.

Mayor Beth Weldon