The filing deadline to run for Juneau Assembly and Juneau School Board closed Monday with 11 candidates vying for six seats.
Juneau’s candidates for local office tend to file at the last minute, and that was true of this cycle, too.
In 72 hours, the capital city went from having just one contested race and zero candidates for a pair of Juneau School Board seats, to having just a single uncontested race.
Juneau Assemblyman Loren Jones is unopposed seeking his second term, barring write-in challengers, who have until Oct. 1 to file their paperwork.
Fisheries consultant Greg Fisk is challenging incumbent Juneau Mayor Merrill Sanford. Fisk says he’s concerned about the economy like everyone else. He wants to diversify it and says a lack of affordable housing inhibits a lot of potential. He supports mixed-use and transit-friendly development.
“I think the mayorship is a chance to heighten awareness of certain items. I mean, it’s a bit of a bully pulpit as they say. You get asked a lot, you get a chance to speak on the city’s behalf, and I think there’s a lot we can do,” Fisk says.
In Juneau’s council-manager form of government, the mayor doesn’t directly manage municipal employees and is largely ceremonial. The mayor presides over the Juneau Assembly with the same voting power as the other eight members, and that body collectively sets policy and directs the city manager.
The other Assembly seat in the October election remains a three-way race between incumbent Jerry Nankervis and challengers Jason Puckett and Dixie Hood.
Juneau School Board
On the Juneau School Board, two longtime incumbents who were on the fence about seeking another term did not file. Board President Phyllis Carlson and member Destiny Sargeant will not be on the October ballot.
A third longtime incumbent, Andi Story, will compete in a five-way race for three seats with Jeff Redmond, Josh Keaton, Emil “Robert” Mackey and Jason Hart.
All four of the new candidates filed their paperwork on the last eligible day.
Election day is Oct. 6.
