Of the nearly 100,000 registered voters in the Mat-Su Borough, roughly 10,000 to 15,000 will likely decide who gets to enact local laws, craft school policy and shape the political landscape in the coming years.
This is an off election year, meaning there are no statewide races or expensive national showdowns to draw in a larger pool of voters.
Instead, on Nov. 4, voters will pick Mat-Su Borough Assembly and the School Board members and vote a few ballot propositions dealing with taxation and annexation. Despite the fact that these types of local elections make the most real-world difference in our daily lives, they never seem to generate much voter passion or enthusiasm.
The last off-year election in the Mat-Su was 2023, when a dismal 9.5% of voters participated.
Politicos have long fretted over sparse voter turnout for decades, but no amount of generic roadside signage, radio ads, friendly meet-and-greets or annoying mailers seem to generate enthusiasm. It seems the fear of alienating the “undecided” voter dilutes the various platforms into an incoherent uniformity.
The good news is that a small uptick in conservative voters can easily swing the election to the right.
That doesn’t drive turnout.
Voters need to see stark philosophical and political differences between the candidates, not boilerplate sloganeering about improving roads, education and transparency, while right sizing taxes (whatever that means). Similarly, when every single candidate takes a photo of themselves shooting a gun, it all runs together.
That’s not enough to spur anyone, beyond those who are already engaged in local political clubs, unions and community action groups.
The average registered voter, however, needs to see a few knock-down, drag-out debates, filled with passion and plenty of red meat. Candidates must plainly and boldly state where they stand on all the most hot-button cultural issues, as well as their core philosophy when it comes to property rights, taxation, homelessness and business development.
For now, we deal with the world as it is, and the reality is that a tiny fraction of voters will determine what our borough and school system look like for the next few years. The good news is that a small uptick in conservative voters can easily swing the election to the right.
At the very minimum, we can at least let our conservative friends, neighbors and fellow parishioners know that we voted. Send a text holding your “I Voted” sticker and maybe invite those who voted over for a beer or coffee and dessert.
It doesn’t take much. Many local elections are decided by a few hundred votes.
To make things easier, the Watchman compiled local endorsements and candidate surveys, as well as statements from the various Mat-Su Assembly and school board candidates to give voters some sense of where they stand. Links to those articles are listed below.
It is our belief that the following candidates are the most conservative when it comes to property rights, taxation, pro-life issues, traditional family values, educational choice, parental rights, second amendment and personal liberties.
ARTICLES ON MAT-SU CANDIDATES
— Mat-Su election could add conservatives to Assembly and School Board
— ‘Constitutional conservative’ aims to unseat Democrat-backed incumbent on Mat-Su Assembly
— Mat-Su voter guide covers free speech, DEI, parent rights, taxes, weed, abortion, LGBT policy
— Pro-Life Alaska endorses Mat-Su Assembly and School Board candidates
— Pro-gun range group endorses two Mat-Su Assembly candidates
VOTING INFORMATION
— Early voting goes until Nov. 3. Click here for exact locations, times and other information regarding early voting.
— For information about where to vote on Nov. 4 Election Day, click here.
8 Comments
Please all get out an vote! Encourage your friends and family!
WHY? HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF THE LAW OF ENTROPY? ITS TIRING ALWAYS ROWING UP STREAM! OUR SYSTEM IS BUILT TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE STYLE GOVERNMENT! THE CITIZENS WORK IS TO ELECT THOSE THEY WANT TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING OF ENACTING LAWS,POLICIES, AND ACTIONS THAT DIRECT US! WE’VE BEEN TRYING THAT, AND THE ELECTED CONTINUE TO FAIL MISERABLY AT DOING WHAT THEY’VE BEEN GIVEN! THEN BY DEFAULT IT GETS PLACED BACK ON THE CITIZENS TO PICKUP THEIR OARS AND CONTINUE TO ROW UPSTREAM DOING THE WORK THAT THEIR ELECTED LEADERS WERE SUPPOSED TO DO!
TIRED! THIS IS THE RESULTS OF THIS MADNESS! TIRED! BEING SATURATED WITH BLOW HARD EMPTY PROMISES RESULTS IN ONE WORD. TIRED!
“As I have written about several times in articles submitted to “The People’s Paper” here in the valley during the past year, the lack of voter participation in local and state elections almost always turns out to be to the left’s advantage due to the vulnerability to huge amounts of outside left-wing money applied to “get out the left-wing vote”.
The average Alaskan, wrapped up in their own life (and it’s “bubble”), doesn’t pay any attention to local politics unless it has directly affected them negatively. These people adopt the attitude of “I don’t get involved in politics” even though our founders thought that voting was a fundamental responsibility of a citizen and which has been expanded to all over the years.
Under “ranked choice voting”, the only hope that things can change is if all the multiple conservative candidates now running for office ( for instance, how many have announced their candidacy for governor?) can get behind ONE conservative candidate. Even then, a significant number of citizens stepping up to their responsibility to vote might not turn the tide.
Based on past history, I am not optimistic.”
“even though our founders thought that voting was a fundamental responsibility of a citizen”.
The cheating via inflated voter roles, mail in voting, no id required, RCV, chain of custody issues, dominion machine counting, ID theft, on and on, PLACES YOUR QUOTE ABOVE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONTEXT! THIS IS WHY THE QUESTION , WHY BOTHER IS RELEVANT WITH ALL THE CHEATING?
I’m afraid that the attitude you put forth runs far too often in otherwise well-meaning people. They have adopted the idea that “it is hopeless. I give up”. Very sad!
ATTITUDES ARE DEVELOPED IN AN ATMOSPHERE! THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE DIVISION OF ELECTIONS IS COMPLETELY CORRUPT! THE RESULTS ARE PEOPLE DO NOT AND WILL NOT BELIEVE IN IT UNTIL IT IS ADDRESSED! THE SOLUTION IS CONSEQUENCES TO THE CRIMINALS!!!
Mr. Davidson,
I believe Dena McCharge is for students and better schools. I have attended many meetings at the school board and frequently saw a woman all the way from Talkeetna fighting to get students their legal hours the law requires, but were not being met. Looking into voting now; I’m sure it is her, she has been involved for years and will be the best option for our schools. Please read the their statements and opinions and look at their facebooks to see who they truly are. I am sorry I didn’t recognize her sooner to give you the chance to promote her.
11% doesn’t speak to a representative constitutional form of government! IT CLEARLY STATES THAT PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE EXISTING SYSTEM AND BELIEVE DOING NOTHING IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE!!!