Anchorage Assembly leadership is opposing Mayor Bronson's proposal to ask voters if city law should be changed to turn the municipal clerk’s position into an elected office, pointing to the potential for added political pressure on a nonpartisan position.
. The mayor said that if the municipal clerk became an elected official, public trust and accountability would increase. Bronson’s ordinance, if approved by the Assembly on Tuesday, would send his suggestion to change the city’s charter to Anchorage voters for approval or rejection.
But Assembly leadership on Monday released a statement opposing the ordinance, saying the switch could impact the clerk’s office negatively, potentially diminishing the ethics, expertise and efficiency of the clerk’s office and add a layer of political pressure to the municipal clerk’s position.
, saying he thinks it “makes sense to have the person running our election system accountable to the voters and serve as an elected official.” “Assembly leadership made it clear that they believe YOU -- the voter -- aren’t smart or qualified enough to elect this person that they themselves have selected and hired. Why does the Assembly leadership believe they are more superior to choose the Clerk than the 300,000 people of Anchorage?” Bronson said.To pass the ordinance and send the proposal to voters, eight of the 12 Assembly members would need to vote in favor of it.
“The proposed ordinance is a solution in search of a problem,” Constant said in Monday’s statement. “The Clerk’s Office runs efficiently with high ethical standards in service to the public and this proposal could damage that high level of service and proficiency.”Emily Goodykoontz is a reporter covering Anchorage local government and general assignments. She previously covered breaking news at The Oregonian in Portland before joining ADN in 2020.
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