Anchorage voters were leaning toward approving a tax levy to pay for body cameras and other technology improvements for the Anchorage Police Department in preliminary election results posted Tuesday evening.
However, Anchorage election officials had received but not yet counted a large number of ballots when initial results were posted, and counting will continue as more ballots arrive by mail in the coming days.
There were 5,811 votes in favor of the proposal, or 56% of the vote, and 4,556 votes against the proposal, or 44%, of the vote, out of the 10,367 votes counted so far. The number of ballots counted Tuesday was significantly lower than the number counted on election night in previous municipal mail-in elections.
To pay for an annual lease for new technology, the Anchorage Police Department is seeking $1.84 million in annual funding, paid for by a yearly property tax. The tax increase would be $5.32 per every $100,000 in assessed home value.
Updates on the result will be posted on the city elections website in the coming days. Results will be certified on April 20.
There were 10 other propositions on the ballot, including seven bonds.
In Tuesday’s early results, all but Proposition 1 were passing. Proposition 1, which had so far received 5,110 votes for and 5,312 votes against, is a $6.9 million bond proposal that would fund various capital projects like safety and code upgrades for the Anchorage Health Department, replacing older fire alarm systems in municipal buildings, a public restroom facility in downtown Anchorage and the installation of solar panels on municipal buildings.