Juneau elections

As the KTOO newsroom takes on this year’s municipal election coverage, we want to hear from you.

It’s already too late for the system to be implemented for this October’s municipal election, but Assembly members worried that adopting it now might confuse voters anyway.

Supporters of the system say it helps reduce political polarization and fosters bipartisanship. Opposition predominantly comes from Alaska conservatives, who argue it makes voting unnecessarily complicated.

The bonds would have helped fund critical repairs and upgrades to Juneau’s schools and the city’s water and sewer systems. Officials say the updates are sorely needed.

The change is meant to capitalize on the 1.7 million cruise ship visitors that come to town each summer.

Four candidates are running for three open Assembly and four candidates are running for three open school board seats.

Longtime Juneau school board member Emil Mackey says he has decided not to run for reelection after a nine-year tenure. His announcement follows fellow incumbent Deedie Sorensen’s decision to retire.

Half a dozen seats will be open for the Oct. 7 municipal election — three on the Juneau Assembly and three on the Juneau School District Board of Education.

A local advocacy group gathered more than 2,700 signatures for each proposition within the city clerk’s office’s extended deadline. A third to make in-person voting the default again in Juneau’s local elections failed to get enough signatures.

The proposed initiative sought to impose a five-ship daily limit, cap the annual and daily number of cruise ship visitors and shorten the season.