Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media & KTOO - Juneau
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
Election review shrinks Anchorage house race margin to 13 votes
The official results showed some margins shrink, but there were no changes in the outcomes.
Alaska Chief Justice Bolger to retire in June
Bolger was appointed to the supreme court by Gov. Sean Parnell in 2013. His retirement will coincide with the end of his three-year term as the chief justice.
Heavily Republican incoming class of Alaska legislators prepares for next session
Only one of the newly elected members of the Alaska Legislature is a Democrat.
Why a majority Republican caucus isn’t certain in Alaska legislature, despite conservative wins
Newly elected Republicans have been talking about how they will organize as election results are finalized, but their narrow majorities in both houses and some stark policy disagreements mean a caucus is far from certain.
Alaska will have a new election system: Voters pass Ballot Measure 2
After Tuesday’s count, the more than 3,000-vote advantage that yes votes have appears to be too large to be overcome by the ballots that are left to count.
New health orders add testing and quarantine mandates for some in-state travel
One order requires any traveler from the road system to rural communities to quarantine until they have a negative test result.
Alaska House control unclear as Republican leader trails by 17 votes
Democrat Liz Snyder leads Republican Rep. Lance Pruitt, the leader of the Alaska House Republican minority caucus, by just 17 votes with an estimated 114 absentee ballots left to count.
Gov. Dunleavy issues new health orders to go with 30-day emergency declaration
A new, 30-day disaster declaration goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 16. And with it comes eight new COVID-19 outbreak health orders. Some of the orders are similar to the previous mandates.
Alaska elections overhaul moves another step closer to passing
Ballot Measure 2 grew closer to passing on Friday, with 1,141 more yes votes than no votes after the day’s count.
The measure would overhaul Alaska’s election laws, with a single primary open to all...
Gov. Mike Dunleavy issues urgent warning to Alaskans about coronavirus surge
The alert was sent to cellphones in Alaska, with a link to a YouTube video of the governor,
Alaska’s ballot count continues, two House races shift
Democratic Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins took the lead in his race, while Liz Snyder cut Republican Rep Lance Pruitt's lead down to just 56 votes in a race that looks to be a nail-biter.
Alaska vote count resumes on Tuesday with many races undecided
The U.S. races remain undecided in Alaska, but there are also six races that could decide the fate of the state Legislature. Currently, six Democratic incumbents trail Republican challengers.
Gov. Dunleavy extends Alaska’s emergency declaration, health officials want him to do more
Congressional leaders feared the governor's declaration could be challenged in court.
Some Alaska Republicans build large leads through Wednesday’s vote count, with counting to resume in a week
Alaska Republicans appeared to have sizable leads in some key races in the state, though 40% of the ballots remain to be counted.
Alaskans line up at polls, as large number absentee ballots wait to be counted
There were long lines at polling places across Alaska on Tuesday, despite more votes being cast early and by mail than in the past.
With deadline looming, Dunleavy and legislative leaders trade letters on potential special session
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s chief of staff and the two top legislative leaders traded letters on Friday over whether the Legislature should call itself into a special session to extend Alaska’s public health emergency disaster declaration.
Lawmakers vote to require face coverings and COVID-19 screenings in the Capitol
The Alaska Legislative Council voted on Thursday to keep the Capitol closed to the public, at least until the next Legislature convenes in January. Legislative staff and the news media will still be allowed in the building.
In the Mat-Su and on the Kenai Peninsula COVID-19 case rates are doubling every week
The Matanuska-Susitna and Kenai Peninsula boroughs are seeing the most rapid increase in coronavirus cases in Alaska.
Health care providers, municipalities call for Dunleavy to extend disaster declaration
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s public health emergency disaster declaration is set to expire on Nov. 15. Health care providers and local governments say they need that declaration, which allows them to better respond to the pandemic.
State blames obsolete technology on delay in $300 weekly unemployment payments
Dunleavy says he hopes the state can start paying the benefits by the end of this week.