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The Municipality of Anchorage currently has six Assembly districts, with eleven total Assembly members. Five of those districts have two Assembly members. Only one of those districts has a single Assembly member representing all its residents.
We encourage you to not forget about Proposition 12 on your ballot. We believe all Assembly districts should have the same number of Assembly seats. Proposition 12 is your chance to vote for equal Assembly representation for our whole city.
Currently, District 1, which represents downtown, Fairview, Government Hill, Mountain View and South Addition, is the one-member district. District 1 has half the population of Anchorage’s other districts, so while representation is proportional, it is not equitable. For example, residents in District 1 can only run for one Assembly seat. In all the other districts, they have two seats to vie for. Only one Assembly member represents the entire downtown business community. Should that Assembly member have a conflict on an issue or can’t be present for a vote, there’s no backup. We believe the design of the Anchorage Assembly is flawed, and Proposition 12 amends the Anchorage Charter to right a historic wrong.
Until 1985, Eagle River-Chugiak had the single-member district. At that time, the one-member district moved to District 1. We’re glad our neighbors in Eagle River now have two representatives, but we believe that should never have been in question. We want a system where no resident should have to worry that they will have half the Assembly representation of a neighbor on the next block. Rotating the one-member district from one part of town to another has never been the solution to this long-term problem.
Having only one member for District 1 has been difficult, but we want to put a happier spin on things.
There’s no way one member could attend the hundreds of free events Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd., puts on each year to activate Town Square Park and downtown. The Mountain View neighborhood, the most diverse neighborhood in the country, needs more than one member to capture the breadth of experiences from across the globe that reside in one community.
Changes with district shapes and population will be taking place due to the census and state redistricting. After the completed census the municipality reviews the population within each district; at this point, it is often determined to be malapportioned or that there is an inequitable or unsuitable apportioning of representatives to a legislative body. With Proposition 12, all districts will have equal number of Assembly members and proportional number of residents.
Without Proposition 12, the single-member district could move to any part of Anchorage. You could wind up in a one-member district with that redrawing. Imagine if Chugiak-Eagle River were to revert back to the one-member district seat. Or if the one-member seat rotated to Midtown. Remember: It could happen to you, and it shouldn’t. Let’s take that option off the table.
The time is right for the Municipality of Anchorage to create a better system giving all our citizens equal representation in government. Let’s build a better city. Vote yes on Proposition 12.
Kirk Rose is the CEO of Anchorage Community Land Trust, a nonprofit bringing out the best in Anchorage neighborhoods. He was named a 2017 Next City Vanguard, one of just 43 recognized urban leaders worldwide, and during his tenure with the organization, ACLT was awarded the National Development Council’s highest honor as the “Most Innovative Community Development Project” in the United States.
Amanda Moser is the Executive Director of Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. ADP is a nonprofit entity charged with the management of the Downtown Improvement District. The partnership is committed to a clean, safe and vital downtown.
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