Results in the Anchorage municipal election have remained largely unchanged as officials released additional batches of votes. But after new votes were counted Friday, candidates for one Assembly seat are separated by just 22 votes
After trailing since Tuesday night’s results, candidate Janice Park has passed Dave Donley and is leading the race to represent Midtown Anchorage on the Assembly. Park currently leads with 4,811 votes to Donley's 4,789. Park has garnered support from more progressive organizations, while Donley is a political conservative.
Both Donley and Park declined to be interviewed Friday.
Other Assembly race results remained unchanged as of Friday night. Incumbents Anna Brawley, George Martinez and Zac Johnson are all leading challengers in the races for West, East and South Anchorage, respectively. Donald Handeland remains ahead of Kyle Walker in the race to represent Eagle River/Chugiak, while Sydney Scout leads three challengers in her bid to represent North Anchorage.
Meanwhile, two education-related ballot propositions are currently failing. One is for a $79 million school district bond that would have paid for security access control upgrades at 15 schools and several other structural and building improvements. The other proposition is a one-time special tax levy totalling $12 million that would have gone towards hiring about 80 teachers. Both propositions are failing by slim margins.
Asked for comment, an ASD spokesman said the district is still monitoring election results.
A proposed bond to fund public safety improvements is also failing. The roughly $350,000 bond would’ve paid for building upgrades and a parking lot renovation at the Anchorage Police Department's Elmore station.
“As ballots continue to be counted, Proposition 4 is about proactively maintaining a public safety facility that is critical to the day-to-day operations of the Anchorage Police Department,” APD spokeswoman Gina Romero said in an email. “The investment would fund needed exterior repairs and parking improvements at the Elmore Station.”
All other ballot propositions are currently passing.
Officials with the municipal clerk’s office say they will release remaining ballot results on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week. Results are set to be certified by the Assembly on April 28.
