Write-in votes for local Libertarian William McCord will not be counted, according to the state Division of Elections, but his campaign will go on.
McCord aimed to run against incumbent Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, for Alaska House District 33, which includes Haines..
McCord did not meet the three-year durational residency requirement for certification to run for state office, said Sharon Forrest, election coordinator for the state division. He has lived in Alaska since May 2014.
After he received a letter denying his certification, McCord said, “There I am, and I’m thinking ‘Well, I have some options here.’ I can go ahead full speed, or I can say ‘OK, you guys win.’”
He decided to run immediately after the primary in August because he saw that Kito would be running unopposed. “For me it was all about choice. Then secondarily I looked at the issues,” McCord said.
According to his campaign pamphlets and website, McCord takes a stance against the Juneau Road and for Alaska Marine Highway reform. He is against a state income tax as he believes it is “…an extreme invasion of privacy personally and financially.”
He would implement a sales tax or consumption tax – except on food – to help mitigate the budget crisis. McCord said that solution is equitable in the sense that people with higher income will pay the bigger portion of the tax. He also said he thinks Gov. Bill Walker made the correct decision to cut the Permanent Fund Dividend this year.
“The boat’s sinking and you’ve got to plug the holes,” McCord said.
McCord also prioritizes civil liberties – meaning to protect citizens’ rights to be treated “humanely and legally” in the court system.
Kito originally ran for office in 2014 after a career as a lobbyist and civil engineer because he wanted his daughter to grow up with opportunities in the state despite the oil crisis.
If he were to be re-elected for a second term in the state House, he said it is critically important that a fiscal plan be established this year at the legislative level.
“There’s going to be a lot of discussion on whether we’re spending enough, not enough or just the right amount,” Kito said.
He supports a state income tax because it will not only capture income from Alaska residents but also from those who work here and live somewhere else, he said.
“If we don’t do an income or sales tax, there’s no other area we can raise revenue from to balance the budget,” Kito said.
Kito also supports funding for education, public safety and healthcare in District 33 and wants to find a way to prioritize those areas. He is opposed to the Juneau Road because of unrealistic maintenance costs and the need for a maintenance station near the proposed Katzehin ferry terminal.
When asked about cuts to state offices in Haines, Kito said he will continue to look for funding for the local state forestry office.
He said he was proud of his ability to communicate complicated issues to constituents as well as listen and respect people with different viewpoints. “A lot of times when we are living in this legislative world, things make sense to us, but it’s hard to communicate that in a simple format,” Kito said.
Kito’s name will be the only one on the ballot for House Representative District 33.
“I do think that because of the outreach I’ve done, that people in the district seem to be comfortable with my representation of them,” Kito said.