Alaska Republicans gear up for Super Tuesday

WASILLA — Alaska is one of 12 states participating in “Super Tuesday” presidential primary election voting March 1, and the state’s Republican Party is anticipating a high turnout as members weigh in on the party’s presidential nomination. The party announced last week it has printed more ballots than in past years to handle the interest in a GOP field that has dropped to five candidates in recent weeks.

Tuesday’s voting involves the most states to date in the 2016 presidential primary race, with a range of caucuses, polls and primaries planned. Alaska Republicans will vote in a presidential preference poll, which in recent years has replaced a caucus system.

The Alaska Democratic Party will hold its caucus on March 26, the same day as Hawaii and Washington. For more information on that caucus, visit www.akdems.org. According to the party, Alaska Democrats will send 20 delegates to the national convention, with 16 pledged to candidates based on the outcome of the caucuses and four unpledged that may vote as they wish.

Staffed by volunteers from each legislative district, the Republican polls will be open from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. and will be limited to Republican Party members, although interested voters can switch their registration at the polling site, according to party officials.

The ballot will contain Dr. Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New York businessman and TV personality Donald Trump. Voters are asked bring a form of identification to the polls such as a driver’s license or voter ID card.

In a Feb. 21 Frontiersman opinion piece, Alaska Republican Party vice chairman Frank McQueary wrote that 28 Alaska delegates and 25 alternates will head to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland July 18-21. Candidates must receive at least 13 percent of the total statewide presidential preference poll vote to receive any delegates to the national convention, according to the party.

“Their votes on the floor of the convention will be bound, through the third round of voting, by decisions made by us – the voters who participate on March 1,” McQueary wrote.

After the March 1 polling, district meetings will convene to choose delegates to the state convention, set for April 28-30 in Fairbanks. Nearly 550 delegates from across the state will be represented at the state convention. From those, the national delegates will be chosen.

For more information, visit www.alaskagop.org

Super Tuesday Mat-Su Republican polling places

District 7: Wasilla — Wasilla Sports Center, 1001 S. Mack Dr.; Palmer Railroad Depot, 619 S. Valley Way.

District 8: Knik Goose Bay/Big Lake — Wasilla Sports Center, 1001 S. Mack Dr.; Settlers Bay Community Church, 6865 Dewlap Circle near Mile 8 Knik Goose-Bay Road; Big Lake Lions Club Ice Arena, 2939 S. Lions Ct., Big Lake.

District 9: Eastern Mat-Su and Richardson Highway communities — Palmer Railroad Depot, 619 S. Valley Way; Delta Community Center, 2287 Deborah St., Delta Junction; Glacier View Bible Church, 35455 W. Glenn Highway, Glacier View; American Legion, 191 Glenn Highway, Glennallen; Sutton Public Library, 11301 N. Chickaloon Way, Sutton; and Faith Harbor Fellowship, 300 Galena, Valdez.

District 10: Northwest Mat-Su — Wasilla Sports Center - 1001 S Mack Dr.; Methodist Church in Willow at Mile 67, Parks Highway (29286 Parks Highway); Talkeetna Subway, Mile 99.5 Parks Highway.

District 11: Greater Palmer — Palmer Railroad Depot, 619 S. Valley Way; Wasilla Sports Center, 1001 S. Mack Dr.

District 12: Chugiak and Southern Mat-Su — Peters Creek Christian Center, 20640 Chapel Dr., Chugiak; Palmer Railroad Depot, 619 S. Valley Way; Wasilla Sports Center, 1001 S Mack Dr.