A resolution to ask Kenai Peninsula Borough voters if they would like a change to the regular borough election date was voted down by the borough assembly at their meeting on August 1st.
The resolution, sponsored by Assembly Member Richard Derkevorkian (District 2 – Kenai), sought to add an advisory question on the ballot at the next regular election (October 3rd), asking whether the Kenai Peninsula borough should change its regular election date to match the date of national elections. The intent was to increase voter turnout for borough elections by taking advantage of the much higher number of people who show up to voting booths when national offices and matters are on the ballots.
National elections are held on the first Tuesday which occurs between November 2nd and 8th.
There were more than 45 minutes of public testimony given on the resolution, and nearly an additional 20 minutes of discussion by assembly. Comments on the topic ranged from the cost of additional election workers, the feasibility of printing sufficient ballot material if all elections were held on the same day, and the actual likelihood of increased voter turnout, to the effectiveness of similar voting date decisions in other Alaska boroughs, and the notion that the assembly would be necessarily compelled to alter the date if voters indicated this as their preference.
Homer Mayor, Ken Castner, suggested the obligation this could place on municipalities within the borough. “The city of Homer’s joined all the other first class cities and the borough to sign a memorandum of agreement to coordinate, and get the efficiencies of having concurrent elections for the municipalities including the borough, ” Castner said via Zoom. “And if you pass this we’ll either lose the efficiencies, or the cities will be kind of compelled to move with the borough.”
The discussion was lethargic at various points, but more often tense as the opinions were shared by assembly members and representatives of the public, and saw the language of Derkevorkian’s personal explanation of the resolution described as “offensive,” and rude.”
Ultimately the resolution was rejected by a 7-2 vote.
The next Borough Assembly meeting will be held on August 15th.