Early and absentee-in-person voting for the Mat-Su Borough’s special election began on Monday, and the borough clerk’s office has sent out brochures outlining what’s on the summer ballot to voters.
While early voting has begun, Election Day is officially July 12th. This summer’s ballot has four proposals to be decided by Mat-Su voters.
The first is a re-apportionment plan. Re-apportionment is the borough equivalent of redistricting at the state level. After each federal census, the borough evaluates whether changes in population density require new lines to be drawn for assembly and school board seats. Largely due to rapid growth in the Knik-Goose Bay area since the last census, borough staff and the assembly selected a plan to re-balance the population of each district.
What that means for District 7, which includes the Northern Valley, is a significant increase in size, specifically covering areas east of the Parks Highway as far as Lake Louise.
There are two ballot measures up for a vote to impose lifetime term limits on both the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and Mat-Su Borough Mayor. The current term limits prohibit more than two consecutive terms in each post, but there is no prohibition on running again after taking some time away from borough government.
The fourth ballot proposition would increase the property tax exemption for seniors and disabled veterans. Currently, those who qualify receive a $150,000 exemption from the state in addition to an exemption of $68,000 from the borough. The ballot measure would increase the borough exemption to $114,000.
More information, including the re-apportionment map, voting locations, and a statement from Borough Clerk Lonnie McKechnie on election security, is available at the Mat-Su Borough’s Special Election Page.
