Winner of the only contested Northwest Arctic Borough race wants to lower the cost of living

After losing an extremely tight race for the Northwest Arctic Borough assembly in 2022, Craig McConnell celebrated a victory this year — in the only borough race with more than one candidate.

The rest of the borough assembly seats, all uncontested, were also filled when the results were certified on Monday.

McConnell ran for Seat H against Derek Haviland Lie and, with 451 votes, defeated his opponent by 97 votes.

“I’m excited about it and looking forward to the work and the challenge,” McConnell said.

Last year, McConnell ran against incumbent Dood Lincoln Carr and lost by only four votes. The experience, he said, encouraged him to run again because he enjoyed talking to the people in the region during his campaign. The loss by such a narrow margin also taught him to stay consistent in his campaigning until the very end.

The first thing McConnell wants to start doing as a borough assembly member is proactively learning more about the residents’ needs and concerns — and their opinions on such issues as preparing for Red Dog Mine closure and the potential construction of Ambler Road.

“I’m not the type of candidate that runs and just shows up for a meeting and votes on the agenda and goes home. I am more proactive than that,” he said. “I want to get a better feel for how the region feels about the Ambler Road. You know, I’ve seen NANA surveys, but I’d like to travel to the villages and listen to the people firsthand.”

During several decades of working for the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, McConnell said he has helped the district save on the cost of utilities. Now he wants to do the same at the borough level.

“I’m very interested in trying to, in any way that we can, reduce the cost of living for our residents in fuel, groceries, water, sewer electricity — all those areas,” he said. Fuel, he added, is an especially important area because it “drives heating, electricity, groceries, water and sewer.”

To address the issue, McConnell said the borough should rely more on alternative energy sources like solar panels and wind generators and find ways to drive the cost of fuel down.

Another priority for McConnell is to continue improving the Village Public Safety Officer services in the Northwest Arctic. While the borough has been doing a good job of increasing the number of VPSOs, McConnell said it is also important to “develop the program so our borough is the best place to be a VPSO.”

“It will take good housing, it will take good pay, and it will take good support from the borough and the communities,” he said.

[Candidates for Northwest Arctic Borough and Kotzebue city races talk about road maintenance, Red Dog Mine and recreation]

In other Northwest Arctic Borough assembly races, the sole candidate for Seat E, Raven Sheldon, has gained 750 votes. Hannah Paniyavluk Loon, who ran for Seat G unopposed, has 751 votes.

Multiple candidates also participated in uncontested races for seats on the Northwest Arctic Borough School District’s Board of Education.

Marie N. Green ran for Seat G unopposed and gained 756 votes.

Alice Melton-Barr ran unopposed for Seat H and received 777 votes. Melton-Barr has served on the Board of Education from 2017 to 2021, representing Buckland, Deering and Selawik. She said she wants to continue advocating for more homegrown teachers and support Inupiaq language revitalization in the classroom.

Margaret Hansen, who ran for Seat J, gained 771 votes. She previously worked for the state of Alaska as a local government specialist and said she now wants to help improve schools in the Northwest Arctic by advocating for more funding, growing local teachers and prioritizing a well-rounded, culturally aware education.

Carol “Bunny” Schaeffer is the only candidate for Seat K with 777 votes.

About 18% of registered voters cast their ballot in this election, according to the borough.