By a vote of 6 – 3, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed an ordinance to pass a hybrid vote-by-mail system for borough elections last month. Late Monday, Mayor Charlie Pierce vetoed that ordinance. During Tuesday night’s assembly meeting, the same six voters of the original ordinance voted to override the Mayor’s veto – thereby securing the borough’s hybrid vote-by-mail system.
The three votes against the ordinance were Kenn Carpenter, Jesse Bjorkman, and Norm Blakeley.
Willie Dunn explained his vote to override the veto, noting public support: “We’ve gotten support from the five cities and at least one of those has reiterated their support even after the Mayor’s intent to veto. So, it still has widespread public support and I think we need to let our decision stand.”
Mayor Charlie Pierce said that he’s trying to be the voice of the people, as he wanted the issue to go before the voters rather than being a decision for the assembly: “If there really are enough people in this borough to go into a ballot box, vote-by-mail, or however they vote, and they turn down the vote-by-mail initiative or they turn down the desire to have that, why wouldn’t you respect that? Why would you take that away from the people that live in this borough? You know what: I don’t like how all elections turn out, but we have to kinda live with it. That’s the rule of the land that we live in. Majority rule.”
President Kelly Cooper debated Mayor Charlie Pierce about whether he misinformed his Facebook followers:
- Cooper: “When we talk about people getting what they want or understanding what they’re voting for, they need to trust us. I’m looking at your Facebook page for Charlie Pierce For Mayor on June 13 and you posted, “Do you want Borough-wide mandatory vote-by-mail?” That’s irresponsible.”
- Pierce: “Why is that irresponsible?”
- Cooper: “Because it is not mandatory vote-by-mail! It’s a hybrid vote-by-mail. So, what happens is when we talk about trust, I think we have some responsibility with that.”
- Pierce: “Can I respond to your comment? I get your comment. I think you’re clear. Do you think that by not letting them vote, that you’re not mandating something? Or would you let them vote, Kelly?”
- Cooper: “We’re not here to gaslight me, Charlie. We’re here to ask you if you believe…”
- Pierce: “…you’re gaslighting me.”
- Cooper: “You have to be accurate!”
- Pierce: “Listen, I have a first amendment right, just like you do.”
- Cooper: “Well, you also have a responsibility when you talk about trust to be accurate.”
The hybrid structure means that voting will take place via mail-in ballots alongside traditional voting at polling places.