Alaska News

State rejects recall bid against Ketchikan legislator

The head of Alaska's Division of Elections has rejected efforts by a group of Ketchikan residents to recall state Rep. Kyle Johansen from office, saying even if their complaints are true, the assertions don't amount to incompetence or neglect of duties.

In a letter Monday, elections director Gail Fenumiai issued her decision to Dick Coose, the head of the District 1 Republicans and leader of the movement to remove fellow Republican Johansen before his term was up.

District Republicans had contended that Johansen had abandoned his leadership position in the state House after another legislator, whom he had a close personal relationship with, didn't get the committee chairmanship she sought. In their August recall application, they also said he has been "noticeably absent from District 1 and unavailable to his constituents."

"District 1 had been embarrassed by his irresponsible, juvenile behavior," the application said. "Rep. Johansen has refused to apologize or accept responsibility for his actions. District 1 has no meaningful voice in the state legislature."

But walking away from his leadership position and the House GOP-led caucus doesn't mean he didn't perform his duties in the Legislature, according to an attorney general opinion cited by Fenumiai. And nothing in state law requires Johansen to be conspicuously available to constituents, the opinion said.

Efforts to reach Coose on Tuesday evening were unsuccessful. Radio station KRBD reported that the district's Republicans planned to meet to decide whether to appeal.

Anchorage Daily News

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