Anchorage Municipal Election This Week And School Board Decision To Close Schools

 Basically, the votes counted so far have put candidates for Assembly and School Board who are considered the more liberal candidates ahead.  

Except for Assembly District 4.  

On election night (April 7, 2026), Janice Park was trailing Dave Donley by 89 votes.  But tonight she's moved ahead.

The next night (April 8, 2026) Park was trailing Donley by 79 votes

On April 9, 2026. Park was trailing by only 21 votes.  

And tonight, April 10, 2026, Park moved ahead by 21 votes.  There are 60 unresolved votes - presumably these are questioned ballots and I'm sure both candidates will be watching those closely.   

Meanwhile the two school bonds continue to have more no votes than yes votes.  

Proposition 1 is behind by 747 votes.

Proposition 9 is behind by 566 votes.  

I can't help but think that voters, especially parents at schools scheduled to be closed or given to charter schools, were not going to vote for funding for Lake Otis Elementary (to be taken over by the charter German immersion school) or for funding for the Campbell STEM school which is now planned for closure. 

The Board had a financial shortfall to work out.  If these numbers continue, they're going to have a larger shortfall.  They really are out of touch if they didn't see this coming. 

And as I mentioned in the previous post, since all the left leaning candidates beat right leaning candidates, under normal circumstances, the school bonds should have passed.  Bonds for parks and for the performing arts center and the library passed.  

I'd also note that the Police bond looks to be going down to defeat as well.  I don't know what happened there.  Police used to always get their bonds passed.  Is there a new public wariness about the police due to ICE or other issues?  I really have no sense of what is happening there. 

Announced today, the parents of Campbell STEM school have filed suit to keep their school open.  And I heard something about Rilke Schule (the German school) parents not happy about the change.  I don't know how many, but let's see how that plays out.  

And an ironic note - Dave Donley is  one of the two School Board members to vote against closing the schools.