Haines voters going the polls Tuesday will help choose their parties’ candidates in the November general election, and decide initiatives proposing to restrict political campaigning and require minors to obtain parental consent for abortions.
Local polling places at the American Bald Eagle Foundation and at Klehini Valley Fire Hall will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In Tuesday’s statewide primary election, voters will choose between one of three ballots. Any voter is eligible to use an open ballot that will determine candidates of the Democratic, Libertarian and Independence parties. Only voters registered Republican, non-partisan or undeclared can cast a ballot that will decide Republican Party candidates. A ballot containing only the ballot measures also is available.
On the Republican ballot, Fairbanks attorney Joe Miller is challenging Lisa Murkowski for the party’s nomination for U.S. senator. Sheldon Fisher and John Cox and Don Young are seeking the nomination for Alaska’s U.S. House seat.
Candidates seeking to represent the party in the November gubernatorial election are Ralph Samuels, Bill Walker, Gerald Heikes, Merica Hlatcu, Sam Little and Sean Parnell. Republican lieutenant governor candidates include Eddie Burke, Bob Lup, Jay Ramras and Mead Treadwell.
State Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, is uncontested in the primary for House District 5.
The open ballot contains three Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate: Scott McAdams, Frank Vondersaar and Jacob Seth Kern.
Harry Crawford is uncontested as the Democrats’ choice for Congress. Democrats Ethan Berkowitz and Hollis French are vying to represent the party in the governor’s race; candidates for the party nomination for lieutenant governor are Diane Benson, Lynette Moreno-Hinz and J.J. Powers.
Democrat Robert Beedle of Cordova is uncontested as his party’s choice for state House District 5.
Libertarian Party candidates on the ballot include Frederick Haase for the U.S. Senate seat, William “Billy”Toien for governor and Jeffey Brown for lieutenant governor. Gubernatorial candidated Donald R. Wright is the Alaska Independence Party’s only candidate on the ballot.
Measure #1 on the ballot would prohibit use of public funds to lobby or campaign and would prohibit holders of government contracts and family members from making political donations.
Backers call the measure an “anti-corruption act” and say it will promote transparency by requiring an online searchable database of government contracts. It also would ban use of public funds for lobbying and prevents recipients of sole-source and no bid contracts from making political contributions.
Opponents of the Measure #1 include Alaska Municipal League and many local governments, including Haines Borough Assembly and Haines Borough school board. They say it goes too far. According to the borough, the initiative would prohibit it from hiring a lobbyist and from paying travel costs of elected officials to travel to Juneau to lobby legislators.
It also would prohibit holders of local government contracts over $500 per year, and their family members, from making political contributions, the borough said in a recent resolution.
Ballot measure #2 would require a doctor to tell or try to tell a parent about an abortion on a woman under age 18 at least 48 hours in advance. Under current law, a minor may end her pregnancy without telling a parent.
Minors who are victims of abuse can avoid telling a parent by getting a witness to write a statement about the abuse. The minor also could file a complaint with a court to avoid telling a parent about an abortion.
Supporters of the ballot, including some churches, say the question is a matter of parental rights and safeguarding the health of children. Opponents, including Planned Parenthood and YWCA, say the initiative is government intrusion into a family matter and would risk the health of teens who can’t talk to their parents.
The “court bypass” option would be difficult for teens living in remote areas miles from the nearest courthouse, opponents say.