Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

April 22, 2022

Redistricting Update

The Alaska Redistricting Board voted 3-2 last week to adopt map Option 3B in their required re-drawing of Anchorage's state senate districts. The Alaska Supreme Court found the initial map constituted an unconstitutional gerrymander in its pairing of the East Anchorage house district and the eastern Eagle River house district into a single senate district.

Redistricting is the process by which new legislative district boundaries are drawn based on updated census numbers. The districts must meet all constitutional requirements, including contiguity, compactness, socioeconomic integration, and equal protection. In the case of East Anchorage and Eagle River being paired in a senate district, the court found that this violated the equal protection of voters and gave greater vote power to Eagle River while diluting the voting impact of East Anchorage.

Option 3B. The Board voted 3-2 to adopt this map.

In the most recent re-draw process, the board considered two maps. The map they chose, Option 3B, pairs the eastern Eagle River house district with the South Anchorage-Girdwood house district into a single senate district. This week, plaintiffs from East Anchorage filed a challenge to the proposed map. They argue that the pairing in Option 3B unconstitutionally benefits Eagle River by giving them two senators in the Alaska State Legislature.

Option 2. The East Anchorage plaintiffs have asked for adoption of this map.

Alaska Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews will consider the legality of Option 3B, and a hearing is set for Monday, April 26 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. The deadline for candidates to enter this year's legislative races is June 1, and the final map is needed by that date. Judge Matthews could approve or reject the Option 3B. If the court rejects Option 3B, it can order the Board to modify the senate pairing or it could order use of a different map, including Option 2.

Remembering Wilda Marston

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” - Thomas Campbell

We are mourning the passing of Wilda Marston — my neighbor and friend. Wilda was a force of nature. At her house, the door was always open, the welcome was always warm, and the discussions were always lively and political. Her legacy will live on; in the students she taught, in the growth of libraries that she made possible, and in the family she proudly raised.

Wilda Marston lived this truth, and reminds us all to do the same: we can all be responsible, active stewards of our community. Anchorage and Alaska are so much better for all that she gave us.

Click here to watch my Special Order on Wilda Marston

Community Information

→ Special Election for U.S. Congress

A special primary election will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022. Ballots for this election will be mailed automatically to all registered voters April 27. On this ballot, voters will choose one candidate and the top four will proceed to the August 16 special election.

A special election will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. This election will occur on the same ballot as the regular primary election. This election will be the first to use the ranked-choice voting system.

Fifty-one individuals filed to enter the historic race, and three have dropped out. We broke down the election in a recent e-newsletter.

ICYMI: Video update on special election and ranked choice voting

Special election information

→ Ranked Choice Voting

Alaska Division of Elections

What is Ranked Choice Voting? Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. In the 2020 general election, voters approved an initiative to establish a Ranked Choice Voting general election system. How does Ranked...

Read more
http://www.elections.alaska.gov

→ Report on Domestic Violence in Alaska

I serve as the chair of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission – and we just published a report on domestic violence in Alaska. The report takes an in-depth look at the prevalence, state response, and best policy practices in the United States pertaining to domestic violence, and it also offers recommendations.

Read the report here.

→ Booster Eligibility Update

Vaccines and boosters continue to be the best way to stay safe from severe COVID illness. Everyone 50+ and certain immunocompromised individuals are eligible for a second COVID vaccine booster 4 months after receiving their initial booster.

Make an appointment here.

→ Transportation Improvement Program Comment Period

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the region's short range project plan for transportation improvements. It outlines the investment program of capital improvements to the metropolitan transportation system. A 30-Day Public Comment Period on the draft 2023-2026 TIP is on-going. The comment period closes May 5, 2022.

Submit your comments here.

Community Events

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

Spring Makers Market

The Spring Makers Market is a one-stop shopping event to support local artists and makers. The event will be hosted by Little Fish Workshop and friends with food trucks outside, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at The Nave in Spenard. Visit the event Facebook page.

When: Saturday, April 23 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Where: The Nave

Listening Session on Proposed Navigation Center

Mayor Bronson is moving forward with the proposed navigation center to provide homeless services. He has announced a series of listening sessions to provide an opportunity for members of our community to learn more about the plan and get answers to any questions they may have. This event will be broadcast live on the Mayor Bronson's Facebook page.

When: Monday, April 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM

Where: Wilda Marston Theater