Two questions to appear on Mat-Su ballot

In October, voters in the Mat-Su Borough will choose their mayor, three assembly members, and three school board members. They will also vote on two ballot questions that could change how elections work in the future. They will not, however, be voting on banning commercial marijuana in the borough.

Borough Clerk Lonnie McKechnie (mik-KEK-nee) says petitions to change the election date and create districts for school board seats received the requisite number of signatures by the August 4^th deadline to appear on this year’s ballot. The election date initiative would change the current October date for borough elections to line up with state and federal elections, on the first Tuesday after a Monday that falls in November. The other initiative would create districts for school board members to align with assembly districts. Currently, all school board members are elected at-large, and may live anywhere in the borough.

One petition that did not receive its requisite signatures would place the issue of commercial marijuana on the borough ballot. While personal recreational use and limited cultivation of marijuana is currently allowed after a statewide vote last year, municipalities may decide whether to allow marijuana businesses within their boundaries. Because it started later, the marijuana petition has until early September to achieve its required number of signatures. If that happens, it will either appear on next year’s borough ballot unless the assembly calls a special election.

The borough election will be held on October 6^th.