Absentee in-person, special needs and electronic transmission voting has been open for the general election since October 2o. Division of Elections Executive Director Gail Fenumiai detailed what Alaskans are currently voting on.
Fenumiai: “Voters will have an opportunity to cast a vote for United States Senator, United States Representative, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, State House and State Senate, as well as three ballot measures. And there will be judicial candidates that are also up for retention.”
Perhaps the most vexing initiative, Ballot Measure 2, aims to tax and regulate the production, sale, and use of marijuana for people 21 and over. The bill would ban public use of marijuana but allow businesses and employees over 21 to make, own, possess, buy, distribute, sell, show, transport, deliver, transfer, receive, harvest, process, or package marijuana and marijuana products.
An initiative to gradually raise minimum wage between now and 2016 is known as Ballot Measure 3. If passed that initiative would raise Alaska’s minimum wage to $8.75 per hour on January 1, 2015 and then $9.75 per hour on January 1, 2016. According to the bill it would then increase minimum wage in Alaska based on inflation each year after that.
The lesser known Ballot Measure 4 would implement an additional legislative approval in large-scale metallic sulfide mines in the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve.