KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Proposition One failed in Tuesday’s election. If passed, it would have exempted borough officials from the new, more detailed financial disclosure rules required by state law. The unofficial results, with all nine borough precincts reporting show the proposition lost by 85 votes, with 1,070 people voting no and 985 voting yes.
Assemblywoman Pat Branson said it was the will of the people:
— (Disclosure 1 12 sec "I guess people want … and that’s their wishes.")
Many people attribute this year’s lack of candidates for borough assembly, school board and service area boards to the new 12-page forms, which some consider intrusive. Neither the assembly nor the school board had a full slate of candidates seeking the six available seats, while three service areas had no candidates at all.
Branson said she is concerned that the trend might continue now that the voters have upheld the use of the new forms:
— (Disclosure 2 30 sec "What my concern is … people have to fill out.")
Outgoing school board President Betty Odell said earlier this year that the forms might keep her from seeking re-election, and indeed she did not run. But she said closer to the filing period that her busy schedule was the reason. Two incumbents on the borough assembly chose not to seek re-election, but did not give the financial disclosure forms as the reason.
In the five service area elections there were 11 open seats, but only four declared candidates. In Fire Protection Area 1 Mike Dolph won re-election with 751 votes. There were 66 write-ins for the other two openings.
There were no candidates for the Service Area 1 board, where three seats for three years were available, however there were 128 write-ins. Both Bay View Road and Monashka Bay Road service areas had a single seat open apiece, but no candidates. There were a handful of write-in votes.
There were three candidates for the three open seats on the Women’s Bay Service Area: Scott Griffin, John Isadore and David Heuman, all got in.
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