Upcoming Municipal Debates, Early Voting, and More
You have many opportunities to vote on and before October 3!
The Fairbanks North Star Borough municipal elections are just two weeks away! Early voting has already started at the Shopper’s Forum Mall.
I recommend getting it done early if you can, and bringing at least two friends: you’d be surprised how few people actually follow through and vote.
Less than 20% of registered voters tend to actually turn out to local elections!
Reach out to friends and set up a voting date! Group activities increase positive peer pressure.
If you’re looking for who to vote for, many partisan organizations such as the Interior Republicans and Interior Democrats have published their endorsements, along with many non-partisan organizations like the Alaska Center.
Candidate Forums are Ongoing
Municipal candidates have up to 4 debates this week… which is a lot of public speaking time!
Those are:
* Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, at 1:00 pm. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Constitution Day Candidate Forum. UAF Wood Center. Free entry.
* Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 at 9:15 am. West Valley High School school board forum. (Entry for students only).
* Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 at 12:00 pm. Visitor Industry Forum. Wedgewood Resort. $20 for an optional lunch, but otherwise free entry.
* Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Assembly & School Board Candidate Forum. In-person at the FNSB Assembly Chambers, live-streamed on KUAC FM 89.9. Free entry.
Candidate Finances
Candidate finance reports were due two weeks ago. The Fairbanks Daily News Miner came out with a good (though featuring a number of errors and misspellings) report about those finances. Some highlights from that article:
As of 30 days before the election, School Board candidates Meredith Maple and Bobby Burgess each raised over $20,000. I would add that Ms. Maple and Mr. Burgess each had over 170 individual donations, showing their broad support.
As of 30 days before the election, Assembly candidate Liz Reeves-Ramos was leading all candidates in fundraising, with over $21,000 raised. She also had over 170 individual donations.
The next report is due just after a week before Election Day.
Around the Corner
I’ve got some exciting personal news that I’m looking to share in the near future… a new job that I’m thrilled to start.
That transition is a small part of my slower publishing pace, though a big part of that has also been… I’ve been tired! Which is a poor excuse. Maybe settling back into life in Fairbanks is a better one?
You’ll be hearing more from me soon.
I hope you have a chance to vote, and hope you’re feeling well!