I just returned from dropping off my completed Municipality of Anchorage ballot at a drop box conveniently close to my home. I thought it a good moment to offer a few voter reflections: I was raised to understand that voting was both an honor and an obligation. Thus, I have not missed voting in an election since I became eligible to vote 43 years ago! My participation today leads me to have a lot of gratitude.
Thank you to the MOA for mail-in voting. I have been thoughtfully considering, researching and exploring who and what I would support since receiving the ballot in the mail weeks ago. I so much appreciated having the ballot in hand as I received mailers (I get a lot of them, as a “super voter”), read the ADN and Alaska Public Media candidate responses, and finally, went to candidate and ballot measure websites. I believe I am more thoughtful and thorough in making my decisions with the mail-in ballot. I hope this not only is maintained in the municipality, but is expanded to benefit all Alaskans in all elections.
Thank you to all of the candidates who were willing to serve in an elected office. Your willingness to serve is laudable and appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to respond to media surveys that we voters rely on to make informed decisions. Thank you for creating websites that articulate your positions, priorities and character. Thank you to the bureaucrats who researched the needs and crunched the numbers that allowed us to understand what we are voting for and how much it will cost. Thank you to the election workers who will count the ballots fairly and honestly. Thank you to my fellow citizens who took the time from your busy, busy lives to thoughtfully consider who will lead and administer the decisions that impact us all, from the maintenance of our streets, to the education of our children. We are so fortunate to live in a place where we have the opportunity to elect people who will govern our way of life.
Let’s all commit to to unifying around those who are selected to have the honor of leading our community for the next few years and respectfully communicating with them when the direction they take us is inconsistent with what we might think is best for the community.
Karl Schleich
Anchorage
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