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Committee reviews ordinance to move borough elections to November, add candidate withdrawal period
Summary
The Policies and Procedures Committee reviewed Ordinance 20-26-2 to move borough elections to November, change the candidate filing period to the last two weeks of August, permit the assembly to set election worker wages during the annual budget, and add a one-week candidate withdrawal period after filing.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Policies and Procedures Committee reviewed Ordinance 20-26-2 on changes to the borough's election code, including moving elections to November, revising the filing period, allowing the assembly to set election worker wages through the annual budget process, and creating a one-week candidate withdrawal period.
Clerk (through the chair) told the committee the ordinance proposes "four amendments." She summarized three administrative changes: moving the filing period to the last two weeks of August; allowing election worker pay to be set during the borough's annual budgeting process rather than automatically matching the State of Alaska Division of Elections; and amending terms to expire in November instead of October to align with the new election date.
Assembly member Eicher described the withdrawal period proposal as a fix for a gap in the current code. "We currently do not have a withdrawal period," he said, adding the ordinance "gives you an extra week, after the dust settles to withdraw if you decide to do so." Eicher and other members said the change would let candidates who decide not to run remove themselves from ballots, reducing voter confusion.
Another assembly member noted the proposed shift to let the assembly set election worker wages was intended to give the borough flexibility to remain competitive when recruiting workers; the ordinance itself does not set those wages, the member said, and any pay levels would be decided later during budget deliberations.
Chair Bridal took public input and, with no further questions, moved the committee on to other agenda items. The ordinance was introduced and discussed during the committee meeting; the transcript records discussion but no formal vote or final action on the ordinance in this session.
The committee's next procedural step on the ordinance (such as scheduling a public hearing or a vote) was not recorded in the transcript.
