Juneau elections

Thursday’s forum was the latest in a series of public events featuring municipal candidates.

Candidates shared how they would increase access to housing, child care and competitive wages for first responders.

This year’s pool of candidates is far more crowded than last year’s, when five incumbents were the only candidates running and automatically won reelection. 

Prospective candidates for Juneau’s four open Assembly seats and two open school board seats have until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 24 to file.

In the end, Juneau voters decided not to borrow money for a new City Hall, but they did vote to repeal the city’s mandatory real estate disclosure.

Another ballot measure, Proposition 1, asked voters to authorize the city to borrow up to $35 million to help pay for a new City Hall. “No” votes are ahead by 242. 

A proposition related to real estate disclosure seems likely to pass while another concerning funding for a new city hall looks as though it may fail.

Ballots can be placed in one of the dropboxes at the Douglas Library or the Statter Harbor parking lot in Auke Bay or returned in person to the vote center at the Mendenhall Library or City Hall downtown. 

The deadline to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 4. 

Supporters aren’t aware of any organized opposition, though a former city department manager says it’s the wrong time for the project, especially after the pandemic changed office space needs.