Municipal elections in Anchorage, Alaska (2017)
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| 2017 Anchorage elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: February 10, 2017 |
| General election: April 4, 2017 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: City council |
| Total seats up: 6 |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2017 |
Incumbents Tim Steele of District 3 and Pete Petersen of District 5 were each re-elected after facing one opponent. Three incumbents were term-limited from seeking re-election, and one chose not to run for another term, which resulted in open races for Districts 1, 2, 4, and 6. The most crowded race was in District 1, which represents downtown Anchorage. Christopher Constant, who had the most well-financed campaign, won against five other candidates. Fred Dyson, Felix Rivera, and Suzanne LaFrance won the open seats representing Eagle River/Chugiak, Midtown, and South Anchorage, respectively.[1] With the wins of Constant and Rivera, the first openly gay members were elected to the Anchorage Assembly.[2]
There were eight ballot measures on the ballot. Four of six bond propositions were approved to borrow money for projects including school district building improvements, public safety improvements, and road work. One bond measure was defeated. A referendum to repeal an ordinance that aimed to increase the number of taxi permits made it to the ballot by way of a citizen petition. A group of taxi owners opposed the ordinance and drove the effort to get the referendum on the ballot. Voters opted not to repeal the ordinance.[3] A proposition to expand the boundaries of the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area was defeated.[4]
Elections
Assembly
District 1, Seat B
(Downtown Anchorage)
Note: Incumbent Patrick Flynn was term-limited.
☑ Christopher Constant
☐ Mark Martinson
☐ Albert Swank Jr.
☐ David Dunsmore
☐ Warren West
☐ Chris Cox
District 2, Seat C
(Eagle River/Chugiak)
Note: Incumbent Bill Starr was term-limited.
☐ John Brassell
☐ Gretchen Wehmhoff
☑ Fred Dyson
☐ Patrick Donnelly
District 3, Seat E
(West Anchorage)
☐ David Nees
☑ Tim Steele (i)
District 4, Seat G
(Midtown)
Note: Incumbent Elvi Gray-Jackson was term-limited.
☑ Felix Rivera
☐ Marcus Sanders
☐ Don Smith
☐ Ron Alleva
District 5, Seat I
(East Anchorage)
☑ Pete Petersen (i)
☐ Don Jones
District 6, Seat K
(South Anchorage)
Note: Incumbent Bill Evans did not file for re-election.
☐ Albert Fogle
☑ Suzanne LaFrance
Results
| Anchorage Assembly, District 1, Seat B General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Christopher Constant |
52.30% | 1,603 |
| David Dunsmore | 23.26% | 713 |
| Chris Cox | 14.06% | 431 |
| Albert Swank Jr. | 3.95% | 121 |
| Warren West | 3.07% | 94 |
| Mark Martinson | 2.09% | 64 |
| Write-in votes | 1.27% | 39 |
| Total Votes | 3,065 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
| Anchorage Assembly, District 2, Seat C General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Fred Dyson |
49.14% | 3,300 |
| Gretchen Wehmhoff | 32.03% | 2,151 |
| John Brassell | 12.48% | 838 |
| Patrick Donnelly | 5.73% | 385 |
| Write-in votes | 0.61% | 41 |
| Total Votes | 6,715 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
| Anchorage Assembly, District 3, Seat E General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Tim Steele Incumbent |
61.75% | 5,369 |
| David Nees | 37.18% | 3,233 |
| Write-in votes | 1.07% | 93 |
| Total Votes | 8,695 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
| Anchorage Assembly, District 4, Seat G General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Felix Rivera |
47.42% | 3,589 |
| Don Smith | 29.28% | 2,216 |
| Marcus Sanders | 12.90% | 976 |
| Ron Alleva | 9.51% | 720 |
| Write-in votes | 0.89% | 67 |
| Total Votes | 7,568 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
| Anchorage Assembly, District 5, Seat I General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Pete Petersen Incumbent |
56.73% | 4,279 |
| Don Jones | 42.57% | 3,211 |
| Write-in votes | 0.7% | 53 |
| Total Votes | 7,543 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
| Anchorage Assembly, District 6, Seat K General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Suzanne LaFrance |
52.41% | 5,950 |
| Albert Fogle | 46.94% | 5,329 |
| Write-in votes | 0.65% | 74 |
| Total Votes | 11,353 | |
| Source: Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipal Election Official Results," April 18, 2017 | ||
Special districts
Note: LRSA stands for Limited Road Service Area. RRSA stands for Rural Road Service Area.
Bear Valley LRSA
Seat A
☑ Leon Galbraith (i)
Birch Tree/Elmore LRSA
Seat A
☑ Ed Bosco (i)
☐ Rhonda Street
Seat D
☑ Steven Schmitz (i)
Seat E
☑ Howard Hansen (i)
Chugiak Fire Service Area
Seat A
Girdwood Valley Service Area
Seat D
Seat E
☑ Sam Daniel (i)
Glen Alps Service Area
Seat A
☑ Rodger Nelson (i)
Seat B
No candidate filed for this race.
Lakehill LRSA
Seat C
Mt. Park Estates LRSA
Seat B
☑ Gary Russell (i)
Mt. Park/Robin Hill RRSA
Seat C
Seat D
☑ Michael McGinnis (i)
Paradise Valley South LRSA
Seat B
☑ Priscilla Irany (i)
Rabbit Creek View and Rabbit Creek Heights LRSA
Seat B
☑ Leonard Stanley (i)
Rockhill LRSA
Seat B
No candidate filed for this race.
Seat C
No candidate filed for this race.
Section 6/Campbell Airstrip LRSA
Seat A
☑ Robert Groeneweg (i)
Sequoia Estates LRSA
Seat A
No candidate filed for this race.
Seat B
☑ Samuel Fortier (i)
Skyranch Estates LRSA
Seat B
☑ Jonathan Ditto (i)
South Goldenview RRSA
Seat A
SRW Homeowner's LRSA
Seat C
☑ Jeanne Molitor (i)
Talus West LRSA
Seat A
No candidate filed for this race.
Totem LRSA
Seat B
☑ Tim Haakenson (i)
Upper Grover LRSA
Seat B
☑ Denise Cottrell (i)
Upper O'Malley LRSA
Seat A
☑ Tim Alderson (i)
Valli Vue LRSA
Seat B
No candidate filed for this race.
Seat E
☑ Ben Padgett (i)
Villages Scenic Parkway LRSA
Seat A
Ballot measures
• Proposition 1: Anchorage School District Bonds 
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing $58,450,000 in bonds for projects to improve school facilities in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing $58,450,000 in bonds for projects to improve school facilities in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 2: Anchorage Areawide Public Safety and Transit Bonds 
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing up to $1,654,000 in bonds for projects to improve public safety in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing up to $1,654,000 in bonds for projects to improve public safety in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 3: Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area Bonds
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing up to $3,665,000 in bonds for various parks and trails improvement projects in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing up to $3,665,000 in bonds for various parks and trails improvement projects in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 4: Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area Bonds
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing up to $36,940,000 in bonds for projects to improve roads and storm drainage in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing up to $36,940,000 in bonds for projects to improve roads and storm drainage in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 5: Anchorage Fire Service Area Bonds
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing up to $2,620,000 in bonds for new fire engines and to remodel certain fire service facilities in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing up to $2,620,000 in bonds for new fire engines and to remodel certain fire service facilities in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 6: Anchorage Metropolitan Police Service Area Bonds
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of the city issuing up to $1,400,000 in bonds for projects to renovate certain police service facilities in Anchorage. |
| A no vote was a vote against the city issuing up to $1,400,000 in bonds for projects to renovate certain police service facilities in Anchorage. |
• Proposition 7: Expansion of Anchorage Parks & Recreation Service Area
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of expanding the boundaries of the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area to include the area north of McHugh Creek, with some exclusions. |
| A no vote was a vote against expanding the boundaries of the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area to include the area north of McHugh Creek, with some exclusions. |
• Proposition 8: Anchorage Repeal of Ao 2016-124(S) Regarding Taxicab Permits and Services
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of repealing a city ordinance that aimed to increase the number of taxi permits. |
| A no vote was a vote against repealing a city ordinance that was designed to increase the number of taxi permits, thereby leaving the ordinance in place. |
Campaign finance
The tables below show the amount of contributions and expenditures for each candidate's campaign. The reports included are from the reporting period that ended on March 3, 2017. Some candidates did not file campaign disclosure forms; candidates that did not intend to raise/spend more than $5,000 could instead file a Municipal Exemption Statement.[5][6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 1, Seat B | ||
| Christopher Constant | $89,184.29 | $43,507.35 |
| David Dunsmore | $22,140.86 | $8,556.40 |
| Chris Cox | $375 | $0 |
| Mark Martinson | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 |
| Albert Swank Jr. | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 |
| Warren West | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 2, Seat C | ||
| John Brassell | $1,625 | $1,301.40 |
| Gretchen Wehmhoff | $2,609.99 | $511.97 |
| Fred Dyson | $6,405.75 | $506.70 |
| Patrick Donnelly | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 3, Seat E | ||
| David Nees | $1,825 | $664.99 |
| Tim Steele (i) | $12,149.40 | $187.14 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 4, Seat G | ||
| Felix Rivera | $42,871.99 | $23,795.66 |
| Marcus Sanders | $720 | $0 |
| Don Smith | $9,279.14 | $7,480.53 |
| Ron Alleva | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 | Nothing on file as of 3/7/2017 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 5, Seat I | ||
| Pete Petersen (i) | $30,282 | $7,164.93 |
| Don Jones | $8,325.28 | $6,129.69 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 6, Seat K | ||
| Albert Fogle | $18,820.50 | $14,453.0 |
| Suzanne LaFrance | $9,919.99 | $2,891.49 |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Alaska elections, 2017
The Anchorage Assembly shared the ballot with elections for Seats C and D on the Anchorage School District school board.[7]
About the city
- See also: Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska. As of 2010, its population was 291,826. Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality created in 1975 through the unification of the governments of the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, making Anchorage one of the largest municipalities in the nation in terms of square mileage. It encompasses nearly 1,955 square miles from Eklutna in the north to Girdwood and Portage in the south.[8]
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government and Council-manager government
The city government of Anchorage combines a council-manager system with a strong mayor system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. The mayor appoints a city manager to oversee the city's day-to-day operations and execute city policies.[9]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Anchorage, Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | Alaska | |
| Population | 291,826 | 710,231 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 1,706 | 571,019 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 62.6% | 64.6% |
| Black/African American | 5.6% | 3.3% |
| Asian | 9.6% | 6.2% |
| Native American | 7.9% | 14.9% |
| Pacific Islander | 2.4% | 1.2% |
| Other (single race) | 2.4% | 1.5% |
| Multiple | 9.5% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 9.2% | 7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 93.9% | 92.8% |
| College graduation rate | 36.1% | 29.6% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $84,928 | $77,640 |
| Persons below poverty level | 9% | 10.7% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Anchorage Alaska election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Anchorage, Alaska | Alaska | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "2017 Regular Municipal Election Calendar," accessed December 20, 2016
- ↑ adn.com, "Anchorage Assembly candidates who back Berkowitz win majority of races," April 5, 2017
- ↑ adn.com, "Repeal vote on Anchorage taxi ordinance squeaks onto ballot," February 22, 2017
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "Municipality of Anchorage Supplemental Notice of Regular Election April 4, 2017," accessed March 13, 2017
- ↑ State of Alaska, "Campaign Disclosure: Forms," accessed March 7, 2017
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "Candidates," accessed March 7, 2017
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "2017 Candidate Database," accessed February 28, 2017
- ↑ Municipality of Anchorage, "About Anchorage," accessed September 9, 2014
- ↑ City Charter of Anchorage, AK, "Secs. 5.01-03," accessed August 26, 2014
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