2023 Anchorage municipal election

In this episode: Host Elizabeth Harball talks with reporter Kyle Hopkins about the reporting process and what we’ve learned since a story was published that included secret recordings of a top Anchorage library official.

Anchorage’s final round of unofficial municipal election results shows about a 28% voter turnout.

In this episode: Less than a month remains in the legislative session and most of the big issues — school funding, the budget, the Permanent Fund dividend — remain up in the air.

Election officials had counted 60,945 ballots by Tuesday evening in the Anchorage city election, showing decisive leads for Assembly candidates and school board incumbents.

The returns leave the city’s overriding political dynamic where it was before the election, with a left-of-center majority on the Assembly big enough to handily pass legislation and keep a check on a conservative mayor.

There are still many more ballots left to count, as a swell of last-minute voting meant well over 30,000 arrived at the election center on Monday and Tuesday.

In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks with ADN reporters about the factors behind the results and how things look going forward.

With the exception of Proposition 13, Anchorage voters appear set to approve all bonds and ballot measures.

The two Anchorage School Board incumbents also held wide leads over their challengers in updated preliminary results Wednesday. Most bonds and ballot measures were passing, with the exception of Proposition 13.

A range of bond proposals are ahead by wide margins. Just one charter amendment appears to be headed toward defeat.

Even in what campaigns have perceived to be some of the most competitive races — in Midtown, West Anchorage and South Anchorage — candidates aligned with the current Assembly held striking leads over their opponents.

Anchorage voters will elect seven of 12 Assembly members, two school board members and decide several ballot propositions. We’ll update this page as more ballots are counted.

Dave Donley is fending off a challenge by a large margin from Irene Boll, while Andy Holleman has a wide lead against challenger Mark Anthony Cox.

In the month before ballots are due several conservative candidates outperformed rivals, boosted in part by the end of donation limits in Alaska elections.

Anchorage voters will elect seven of 12 Assembly members, two school board members and decide fourteen ballot propositions, including a school bond.

It’s common for some campaign signs to be vandalized. But campaigns say they’re experiencing a systematic destruction of large signs promoting center-to-left candidates across the Anchorage Bowl.

The last day for Anchorage voters to submit their ballots in the 2023 municipal election is Tuesday, April 4.

Anchorage Democrats say candidate Rachel Ries distributed campaign literature “falsely claiming” her opponent, Zac Johnson, is endorsed by the group. Ries has accused Johnson’s campaign of hoodwinking voters into believing he’s been endorsed by the police union, rather than its PAC.

Candidate Brian Flynn is married to Mayor Dave Bronson’s Purchasing Department director, Rachelle Alger. Flynn, who is supported by Bronson, has said the personal relationship should not impact his ability to vote on most contracts and purchases.

The city’s three in-person vote centers, located at City Hall, the Loussac Library and the Eagle River Town Center, opened on Monday.

Several conservative candidates are distancing their campaigns from Mayor Dave Bronson, while some more aligned with the Assembly’s majority say they will work to leave bitterness behind.

Proposition 14 aims to fund reading programs, increase funding, wages and staffing at child care and early education programs, and prioritize using school district facilities for child care programs.

Incumbent Dave Donley is running against Irene Boll, while incumbent Andy Holleman is up against Mark Anthony Cox.

Here’s what the candidates had to say about their priorities and many of the issues Anchorage voters said they care about most.

Seven Anchorage Assembly seats and two school board seats are on the ballot.