Borough candidates get head start to election season

July 16, 2006

By DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Jim Colver, Chuck Fannon, Curt Menard and Jody Simpson all have something in common other than their desire to be the next mayor of the Mat-Su Borough. Each of them got a head start on the campaign trail by announcing their intentions well before the official filing period for the election.

The borough clerk's office also got involved in the election race a little early - by offering the candidate declaration packets 10 days before the official filing period begins on Monday.

Advanced availability of the packets and early announcements by the candidates are just the beginning of what appears will be a busy campaign season for local elected offices.

The 2006 slate of local elections includes 11 different races to decide who will serve on city councils, borough assembly and school board seats. Plus, this is the year a new mayor will be elected for the borough.

&#8220We always have more seats up for election at the same time as the mayors race,” borough clerk Michelle McGehee said. &#8220There are three assembly seats, and there are two school board elections also happening in October, plus the elections for city offices.”

In an effort to give the candidates a head start on filing, McGehee made the candidate packets available July 6.

&#8220Normally, we hold off until the filing period begins, on July 17, to release the packets,” McGehee said. &#8220There's a lot of stuff for the candidates to go through and fill out before the filing deadline, so we figured giving them a little extra time to get all the information together couldn't hurt.”

While the borough clerk's office is gearing up for elections of seven officials, city clerks also are making preparations for the elections. There will be two council seats each up for election in Houston, Palmer and Wasilla.

The official filing period for all local elections begins at 8 a.m. Monday and runs until July 28, but the borough candidates were the only ones who could pick up their packets early.

&#8220We're not going to have our packets ready until the 17th,” Wasilla deputy clerk Jamie Newman said. &#8220Interested candidates can come in that morning to pick up a packet.”

The same is true for the cities of Houston and Palmer.

Candidates for borough office simply need to complete the declaration of candidacy and other election disclosure paperwork to participate in the election. Those seeking office in the city elections will have to collect signatures on a nominating petition.

Houston and Wasilla candidates need 10 signatures from registered voters who live inside city limits, Palmer requires 20.

After picking up a packet, candidates have until 5 p.m. July 28 to return the required documentation to the appropriate clerk's office. Candidates for borough office must file at the borough office in Palmer; all others must be submitted to city hall.

McGehee doesn't expect that having the packets available early for borough candidates will result in them getting filed early.

&#8220I expect, like in years past, to have someone standing at the counter at 5 p.m. on the last day,” McGehee said. &#8220Some wait for the deadline as a strategy, to find out who else is running. Or if they want to run against the other candidates.”

Newman added that the same strategy is employed by the Wasilla candidates. However, she cautioned potential candidates that if a signature on the nominating petition were not certified, new signatures must be submitted by the July 28 deadline.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com