Constitutional convention -- catalyst or can of worms?

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of six stories relating to the ballot measures and propositions Alaska voters will find on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

MAT-SU -- Voters will be asked to decide on the November ballot whether or not a constitutional convention should be held in Alaska, a measure that has vocal opponents and supporters in the Valley.

The Alaska State Constitution requires that the measure be placed on the ballot every 10 years. Although some Alaskans believe there is a clear need for change in the Alaska Constitution, others say a constitutional convention isn't the way to go about change.

"People need to understand that a constitutional convention opens the entire constitution to revision, so it can be entirely rewritten," said Rep. Scott Ogan recently.

Ogan said Alaska's constitution is regarded as a model constitution in many U.S. states and, although there may be a few problems that need to be ironed out, he doesn't believe a convention is the way to go about it.

"I just think it would be opening a Pandora's box," Ogan said.

The Alaska Independence Party has posted information on its Web site encouraging voters to approve the ballot measure. Changing Alaska's Constitution is a primary plank in the AIP platform and, according to information from party leaders, has been since its inception in the 1970s. Mark Chryson, Alaska Independence Party chairman, said a convention does open the constitution up for numerous renovations, but there's a simple way to prevent the addition of changes that Alaskans don't want.

"In order to come out of the constitutional convention, it's got to be passed by a majority," Chryson said. "And it has to be ratified by the people of Alaska -- if it's not, we don't have to worry about it."

Chryson said proponents of the convention would like to see issues such as subsistence, subsurface property ownership rights and a potential change to the structure of local governments throughout the state -- changing the borough form of government to a county in order to provide public safety oversight by a sheriff.

Ogan said it's likely groups would lobby for other changes -- changes he felt would not serve Alaska, such as gay marriage rights and a native subsistence preference.

"You don't know what's going to happen," Ogan said. He added that, although there were a few items he'd like to see removed from the constitution -- the 3/4 vote to access the Constitutional Budget Reserve, for example -- a process is already in place to amend the constitution as necessary.

Chryson said that may be true, but legislators have avoided bringing forward amendments that would address issues that he said could be dealt with in one fell swoop through a convention.

"What about subsistence? Has that been addressed?" Chryson asked. "That is one example of something that is not being addressed by the Legislature and has not been addressed by the governor. We're going to have to address some things sooner or later; this is one way to address them all at once."

Although the matter has appeared on the ballot every 10 years since Alaska's Constitution was ratified, no convention has yet been held.