By AlaskaWatchman.com

The Anchorage Assembly is considering an ordinance that would make a number of changes to the city’s vote-by-mail system, which has been in place since 2018.

Submitted by Assembly members Pete Peterson and Suzanne LaFrance at the Dec. 22 Assembly meeting, the 33 page ordinance is scheduled for public hearing at the Jan. 12 Assembly meeting. It includes a section that empowers the city clerk to dig up information that could harm potential candidates.

Under current law, the clerk is responsible to supervise elections and “determine whether candidates for municipal office are qualified.” If the proposed changes are approved, the clerk will be empowered to “gather information which may be reported to law enforcement about suspected or alleged election offences.”

It’s not clear how the clerk would go about finding this information, or then determining whether a particular finding was significant enough to report to law enforcement.

The Anchorage Assembly currently enjoys a solid 8-2 liberal majority, along with an unelected acting mayor who works in lockstep. This spring, however, a slew of conservative candidates are running for the mayor’s office.  If the proposed ordinance passes unchanged, the clerk will be given broad and ill-defined powers to research and report “suspected or alleged” election offences by any candidate to law enforcement.

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Anchorage Assembly looks to empower clerk to find dirt on potential candidates

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


10 Comments

  • Lobomalo says:

    If, and when, the assembly starts to lose their “enjoyed” majority, you may see that ordinance repealed, or re-written to protect their candidates of like ideologies.

  • Alberto Brandolini says:

    Sounds like you’re scared they’re doing what you’re doing…

    • Lobomalo says:

      Your response lacks any cognitive content.. What is it that I “am doing” to “dig up dirt” on any candidate, to protect the democrat incumbents ? Sounds like you may be a democrat, socialist sympathizer.

  • Steven says:

    Sounds like they are breaking the law. It is not the Clerks job to do any such thing. Who’s to say they will not make up dirt to frame Candidates running for Office. They can start with Dunbar who has violated the Oath of Office for the Alaska National Guard. The Alaska NG should dishonorably discharge him for violation of the Oath of Office by calling the Constitution that he swore to up hold as Racists

  • NAV says:

    Time Alaskans take back this state from these corrupt politicians. Start at the top with both senators and congressman. And I dont mean to elect the liberals, although when you elect one of them you know your getting a liar. We need real men and women with backbones who are not cowards.

  • Grant Bovee says:

    Thanks Joel

  • Penny Johnson says:

    Has anyone seen whatever happened to Berky’s $180K, Chief Equity & Justice Officer Ordinance? Smacks of Orwell.