The Deadline for Running for Public Office in the FNSB Closed 20 Minutes Ago: Here's Who Has Filed
Plus a note about my biases and approach to talking about this election.
I firmly believe that running for elected office is a heavy act of public service.
Full stop.
Anyone who’s willing to shine the spotlight on themselves and spend so much of their valuable time serving their community so publicly, for free or close to it, starts off with my respect.
That goes for my opponent from last year, Brett Rotermund, for other folks I don’t agree on in the current Assembly… even for the man with the walrus.
I have my biases. Many of the candidates this year are my friends or those that I look up to. I already think that some candidates harbor ideas that could cause harm.
I ran for Borough Assembly last year, and I didn’t win. Sometimes, the consequences of that make me feel bitter. I wish that our community had taken a different path 10 months ago.
But…that’s not what happened. I respect that, too.
There are serious repercussions to each race. The priorities of our elected officials matter.
So does the tone of discourse around their election.
I’ve been wrestling with the best way to approach writing about the upcoming races, and I think I’ve settled on it: I’m going to share my (often strong) opinions freely, but I’m going to try to be fair to each candidate.
I will call out what I see, but I won’t go digging in anyone’s trash or chasing rumors.
Clear as mud?
Let’s take a look at who filed by today’s deadline.
ASSEMBLY (SEAT D) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – Tammie Wilson
Liz Reeves-Ramos
(907) 978-9914
lizforboroughassembly@gmail.com
Website: https://www.lizforfairbanks.com
Tammie Wilson
(907) 590-7602
Tammie.K.Wilson@gmail.com
Website: https://fnsb.gov/676/Tammie-Wilson, no campaign website or social media account could be found (will update)
ASSEMBLY (SEAT E) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – Jimi Cash
Nick LaJiness
(907) 590-1317
nickforfairbanks@gmail.com
Website: https://www.nickforfairbanks.com
Jimi Cash
(907) 799-2692
cashforassembly@gmail.com
Website: http://cashforassembly.com
ASSEMBLY (SEAT H) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – Aaron Lojewski
Aaron Gibson
(907) 978-3058
info@gibsonforfairbanks.com
Website: https://gibsonforfairbanks.com
Scott Crass
(907) 251-0800
scott@crassforfairbanks.com
Website: https://www.crassforfairbanks.com
SCHOOL BOARD (SEAT E) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – Timothy Doran
Tim Doran
(907) 712-4772
timdoran512@gmail.com
Website: https://www.facebook.com/DoranforSchoolBoard
Michael Humphrey
(307) 922-3805
michael@humphreyforschoolboard.org
Website: https://humphreyforschoolboard.org
SCHOOL BOARD (SEAT F) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – April Smith
Bobby Burgess
(907) 799-7549
burgessforschoolboard@gmail.com
Website: https://www.burgessforschoolboard.com
April Smith
(907) 347-1357
april@aprilsmithforfairbanks.com
Website: http://aprilsmithforfairbanks.com
SCHOOL BOARD (SEAT G) 3-year term Individual Holding Seat – Maggie Matheson
Meredith Maple
(502) 337-5897
mapleforschoolboard@gmail.com
Website: https://www.mapleforschoolboard.com
Maggie Matheson
(907) 978-5012
maggie.b.matheson@gmail.com
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/2660, no campaign website or social media account could be found (will update)
I don’t think IGU Board candidates generally have websites, but if I find any I will update them here.
INTERIOR ALASKA NATURAL GAS UTILITY BOARD (IGU) (AT-LARGE SEAT C) Individual Holding Seat – Luke Hopkins
Jim Dodson
(907) 388-8459
jdodson@ak.net
INTERIOR ALASKA NATURAL GAS UTILITY BOARD (IGU) (AT-LARGE SEAT D) Individual Holding Seat – Bert Bell
Sherri L. Wall
(907) 888-4509
SherriWall44@gmail.com
Pete Kelly
(907) 331-6292
petekellyalaska@msn.com
No campaign websites or social media accounts could be found for City Council Candidates (will update later).
Fairbanks City Council, Seat E – Three-year term
Lonny Marney
907-371-5130
lonny.marney@acsalaska.net
Sean MacDonald
907-799-4782
seanforfairbanks@gmail.com
Fairbanks City Council, Seat F – Three-year term
John Ringstad
AK 99701 907-590-2026
john.c.ringstad@gmail.com
Shoshana R. Kun
907-590-8313
srkun1013@gmail.com
North Pole City Council – Three-year term
Lairy Terch III
907-378-9233
larry@alaska.net
Ellen Glab
660-464-1072
Ellen.D.Glab@gmail.com
Benjamin Williams Jr.
907-388-5911
bbc1williams@gmail.com
All races except the city races are at-large, meaning that everyone who resides in the Borough can vote in them.
Anyone who has filed has until next Monday, August 7 to withdraw.
Election Day is Tuesday, October 3! You can learn how to vote on the Borough website.
Thank you to the candidates for stepping forward.