Municipal elections in Anchorage, Alaska (2016)
From Ballotpedia
Five seats on the Anchorage Assembly were up for general election on April 5, 2016. The climate leading up to the election was strongly influenced by the assembly's 2015 passage of an LGBT anti-discrimination law, the first of its kind to be passed in Alaska. Learn more about how this measure could impact the election here
The city of Anchorage, Alaska, held elections for city council on April 5, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was February 12, 2016. Five of the 11 city council seats were up for election.
Two incumbents faced opposition for their bids to retain their seats on the assembly: Amy Demboski in District 2 and Dick Traini in District 4. In Anchorage's District 3, four different candidates vied for the seat, while races in Districts 5 and 6 were less contentious.
Elections
General election
District 2, Seat A
- ☑ Amy Demboski (i)
- ☐ Nicholas Begich
District 3, Seat D
District 4, Seat F
- ☑ Dick Traini (i)
- ☐ Ron Alleva
District 5, Seat H
District 6, Seat J
Campaign finance
Campaign finance information will be available here once it is published.
Issues
Passage of LGBT equal protection law
- See also: LGBT issues on the ballot
In September of 2015, the Anchorage Assembly voted on a 9-2 decision to pass an anti-discrimination law aimed at protecting LGBT rights. This law was the first of its kind to be passed in Alaska. Some speculated that the 2016 municipal elections might become a referendum on this decision, with some assembly members who had voted for the provision facing backlash from voters who opposed it. In particular, assembly member Amy Demboski, who voted against the legislation, sought support for her re-election bid from conservative voters unhappy with the law's passage, many of whom live in her district.[1]
About the city
- See also: Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska. As of 2010, its population was 291,826. Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality created in 1975 through the unification of the governments of the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, making Anchorage one of the largest municipalities in the nation in terms of square mileage. It encompasses nearly 1,955 square miles from Eklutna in the north to Girdwood and Portage in the south.[2]
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government and Council-manager government
The city government of Anchorage combines a council-manager system with a strong mayor system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. The mayor, however, appoints a city manager to oversee the city's day-to-day operations and execute city policies.[3]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Anchorage, Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | Alaska | |
| Population | 291,826 | 710,231 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 1,706 | 571,019 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 62.6% | 64.6% |
| Black/African American | 5.6% | 3.3% |
| Asian | 9.6% | 6.2% |
| Native American | 7.9% | 14.9% |
| Pacific Islander | 2.4% | 1.2% |
| Two or more | 9.5% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 9.2% | 7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 93.9% | 92.8% |
| College graduation rate | 36.1% | 29.6% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $84,928 | $77,640 |
| Persons below poverty level | 9% | 10.7% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
Recent news
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See also
| Anchorage, Alaska | Alaska | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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