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HOUSE BILL NO. 163
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD
Introduced: 3/28/25
Referred: Community and Regional Affairs, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act relating to municipal and school board elections; decla ring Election Day a 1
holiday; relating to terms of office for municipal mayors, muni cipal governing bodies, 2
elected utility boards, and school boards; and providing for an effective date." 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4
* Section 1. AS 14.08.061(a) is amended to read: 5
(a) Members elected to a regional school board shall serve four-year 6
[STAGGERED THREE-YEAR] terms. However, 7
(1) the term of office of all of the members of a regional sch ool board 8
elected from the same multi-member section may not expire at the same time; and 9
(2) for the first board elected, the term of office of each me mber shall 10
be determined by lot, according to the following schedule: 11
(A) the members of the first five-member school board shall 12
hold office for terms as follows: three members [ONE MEMBER] for a four-13
year [ O N E - Y E A R ] t e r m and [ ; ] t w o members f o r a t w o - y e a r t e r m [ A N D 14
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TWO FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM]; 1
(B) the members of the first seven-member school board shall 2
hold office for terms as follows: four [TWO] members for a four-year [ONE-3
YEAR] term and three members [; TWO] for a two-year term [AND THREE 4
FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM]; 5
(C) the members of the firs t nine-member school board shall 6
hold office for terms as follows: five members [ T H R E E ] f o r a four-year 7
[ONE-YEAR] term and four members [; THREE] for a two-year term [AND 8
THREE FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM]; 9
(D) the members of the first 11-member school board shall 10
hold office for terms as follows: six members [ T H R E E ] f o r a four-year 11
[ONE-YEAR] term and five members [, FOUR] for a two-year term [AND 12
FOUR FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM]. 13
* Sec. 2. AS 14.08.071(b) is amended to read: 14
(b) Except for the first election of regional school board mem bers under (a) of 15
this section, elections shall be held [ANNUALLY] on the [FIRST] Tuesday after the 16
first Monday in November of each even-numbered year [IN OCTOBER]. Elections 17
shall be supervised by the director of elections in the office of the lieutenant governor, 18
but shall be administered within second class cities as part of the regular municipal 19
election. The lieutenant governor shall adopt regulations for t he conduct of the 20
election of regional school board members comparable, as far as practicable, to those 21
prescribed for election of s chool board members under AS 14.12 and AS 29.20.300 22
except that the majority election requirements of AS 29.26.060 do not apply to, nor 23
may the regulations require runo ff elections for, the first ele ction of regional school 24
board members under (a) of this section or, if a school board by resolution so requests, 25
to subsequent elections in the regional educati onal attendance area served by that 26
school board. 27
* Sec. 3. AS 14.08.071(e) is amended to read: 28
(e) The lieutenant governor may provide for the election of an advisory school 29
board established under AS 14.08.115. An election conducted und er this subsection 30
shall be held on the [FIRST] Tuesday after the first Mond ay in November of each 31
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even-numbered year [IN OCTOBER]. The lieutenant governor may adopt 1
regulations governing an election conducted under this subsection. 2
* Sec. 4. AS 14.12.050(a) is amended to read: 3
(a) The term of office of a member of a borough or city school board is four 4
[THREE] years and until a successor takes office. However, the members of a newly 5
created five-member school board hold office for initial terms as follows: three 6
members [TWO] for a term of four [THREE] years and [,] two members for a term 7
of two years, [AND ONE FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR,] the terms being assigned 8
to the members by lot. The members of a newly created seven-mem ber school board 9
hold office for initial terms as follows: four members [THREE] for a term of four 10
[THREE] years and three members [, TWO] for a term of two years, [AND TWO 11
FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR,] the terms being assigned to the members by lot. 12
* Sec. 5. AS 14.12.050(b) is amended to read: 13
(b) When a transition is made from a five-member school board to a seven-14
member school board, the length of the terms of office for the two new members to be 15
elected shall be determined by lot , one member for a term of four years and one 16
member for a term of two years [SO THAT WHEN THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR 17
THE TWO NEW MEMBERS ARE ASSIGNED, THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR 18
THE ENTIRE SEVEN-MEMBER BOARD SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS: THREE 19
MEMBERS HAVE A THREE-YEAR TERM, TWO MEMBERS HAVE A TWO-20
YEAR TERM, AND TWO MEMBERS HAVE A ONE-YEAR TERM. A SEVEN-21
MEMBER SCHOOL BOARD, THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF WHOSE MEMBERS 22
AT THE TIME OF TRANSITION FROM A FIVE-MEMBER BOARD DID NOT 23
RESULT IN TERMS EXPIRING IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN THIS 24
SECTION, MAY, BY RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE 25
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ADJUST THE TERMS OF OFFICE TO CONFORM 26
TO THE SCHEDULE FOR EXPIRATION OF TERMS OF OFFICE PROVIDED IN 27
THIS SECTION]. 28
* Sec. 6. AS 29.04.040(d) is amended to read: 29
(d) The council shall, within 30 days after receiving notifica tion from the 30
Local Boundary Commission that a petition has been accepted, or der an election on 31
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the question of reclassification. The election shall be held at l e a s t 3 0 d ay s a f t e r t h e 1
order and not later than either the next regular election occurring after the 30-day 2
period or 180 days after the 30-day period, whichever is earlier . If more than one 3
question is to be voted on at the election, each shall appear separately on the ballot. 4
* Sec. 7. AS 29.05.120(f) is amended to read: 5
(f) The initial elected members of the governing body shall de termine by lot 6
the length of their terms of office so that as close as possible to a proportionate 7
number of terms expire each even year, resulting in staggered terms of office for 8
members subsequently elected. 9
* Sec. 8. AS 29.20.070(b) is amended to read: 10
(b) Not later than either the first regular election that occurs after adoption of 11
a final state redistricting pl an under art. VI, sec. 10, Consti tution of the State of 12
Alaska, or 180 days after th e adoption, whic hever is earlier, t h e a s s e m b l y s h a l l 13
propose and submit to the voters of the borough, at that regula r election or at a special 14
election called for the purpose, o n e o r m o r e f o r m s o f a s s e m b l y representation. The 15
forms of representation that the assembly may submit to the voters are: 16
(1) election of members of the assembly at large by the voters 17
throughout the borough; 18
(2) election of members of the assembly by district, including 19
(A) election at large by the voters throughout the borough, bu t 20
with a requirement that a candidate live in an election distric t established by 21
the borough for election of assembly members; or 22
(B) election from election districts established by the boroug h 23
for the election of assembly members by the voters of a district; 24
(3) election of members of the assembly both at large and by district. 25
* Sec. 9. AS 29.20.150(a) is amended to read: 26
(a) A member of the governing body is elected for a four-year [THREE-27
YEAR] term and until a successor qu alifies [, UNLESS A DIFFEREN T TERM NOT 28
EXCEEDING FOUR YEARS IS PRESCRIBED BY HOME RULE CHARTER OR 29
ORDINANCE]. 30
* Sec. 10. AS 29.20.230(a) is amended to read: 31
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(a) The mayor of a borough or first class city is elected at l arge. The mayor of 1
a borough or first class city serves a term of four [ T H R E E ] y e a r s [ , U N L E S S B Y 2
ORDINANCE A DIFFERENT TERM NOT TO EXCEED FOUR YEARS IS 3
PROVIDED. THE CURRENT TERM OF AN INCUMBENT MAYOR MAY NOT 4
BE ALTERED]. The regular term of a mayor of a borough or first class city begins on 5
the first Monday following certification of the election. 6
* Sec. 11. AS 29.20.300(a) is amended to read: 7
(a) Each municipal school distr ict has a school board. Except as provided in 8
(b) of this section, members of a school board are elected at t he regular election for 9
four-year [THREE-YEAR] terms and until th eir successors take office. Mem bers are 10
elected at large unless a different method of election has been approved by the voters 11
in a regular election. 12
* Sec. 12. AS 29.20.310(b) is amended to read: 13
(b) As determined by ordinance, members of a utility board are e i t h e r 14
appointed by the mayor and confir med by the governing body or [ ARE] elected at a 15
regular election. The term of a utility board member is two yea rs and until a successor 16
is selected and qualifies. [HOWEVER, THE GOVERNING BODY MAY BY 17
ORDINANCE PROVIDE FOR A DIFFERENT TERM NOT TO EXCEED FOUR 18
YEARS. THE CURRENT TERM OF AN ELECTED INCUMBENT MAY NOT BE 19
ALTERED.] 20
* Sec. 13. AS 29.26.040 is amended to read: 21
Sec. 29.26.040. Date of regular election. The date of a regular election is the 22
[FIRST] Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered 23
year unless the municipality provides for a different date by o rdinance [ O F 24
OCTOBER ANNUALLY, UNLESS A DIFFERENT DATE OR INTERVAL OF 25
YEARS IS PROVIDED BY ORDINANCE]. 26
* Sec. 14. AS 29.26.170(a) is amended to read: 27
(a) Unless substantially the same measure is adopted, when a petition seeks an 28
initiative vote, the clerk shall submit the matter to the voter s a t t h e n e x t r e g u l a r 29
election or, if already scheduled, special election occurring n ot sooner than 60 days 30
after certification of the petition. If no election is schedule d to occur within 75 days 31
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after the certification of a petition and the governing body de termines it is in the best 1
interest of the municipality, the governing body may by ordinan ce order a special 2
election to be held on the matter before the next election that is already scheduled, but 3
not sooner than 60 days after certification of the petition. If no election is scheduled 4
to occur within 180 days after th e certification o f a petition, the governing body 5
shall by ordinance order a special election to be held on the m atter not sooner 6
than 60 days after certification of the petition and not later than 180 days after 7
certification of the petition. 8
* Sec. 15. AS 29.26.180(a) is amended to read: 9
(a) Unless the ordinance or resolution is repealed, when a pet ition seeks a 10
referendum vote, the clerk shall submit the matter to the voter s a t t h e n e x t r e g u l a r 11
election or, if already scheduled, special election occurring n ot sooner than 60 days 12
after certification of the petition. If no election is schedule d to occur within 75 days 13
after certification of a petition and the governing body determ ines it is in the best 14
interest of the municipality, the governing body may by ordinan ce order a special 15
election to be held on the matter before the next election that is already scheduled, but 16
not sooner than 60 days after certification of the petition. If no election is scheduled 17
to occur within 180 days after th e certification o f a petition, the governing body 18
shall by ordinance order a special election to be held on the m atter not sooner 19
than 60 days after certification of the petition and not later than 180 days after 20
certification of the petition. 21
* Sec. 16. AS 29.71.800(21) is amended to read: 22
(21) "regular election" means t he municipal election held on t he 23
[FIRST] Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered 24
year or on a different date established by ordinance [ O F O C T O B E R 25
ANNUALLY, OR ON A DIFFERENT DATE OR INTERVAL OF YEARS 26
PROVIDED BY ORDINANCE OR CHARTER]; 27
* Sec. 17. AS 44.12.010(a) is amended to read: 28
(a) The following days are legal holidays: 29
(1) the first of January, known as New Year's Day; 30
(2) the third Monday of January, known as Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 31
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Birthday as provided in (b) of this section; 1
(3) the third Monday in February, known as Presidents' Day; 2
(4) the last Monday of March, known as Seward's Day; 3
(5) the last Monday in May, known as Memorial Day; 4
(6) the 19th of June, known as Juneteenth Day; 5
(7) the fourth of July, known as Independence Day; 6
(8) the first Monday in September, known as Labor Day; 7
(9) the 18th of October, known as Alaska Day; 8
(10) the 11th of November, known as Veterans' Day; 9
(11) the fourth Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving Day; 10
(12) the 25th of December, known as Christmas Day; 11
(13) every Sunday; 12
(14) every day designated by public proclamation by the Presid ent of 13
the United States or the governor of the state as a legal holiday; 14
(15) the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-15
numbered year, known as Election Day. 16
* Sec. 18. AS 29.20.150(b) is repealed. 17
* Sec. 19. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 18
read: 19
TRANSITION. (a) An election for each municipal mayor and each m ember of a 20
regional school board, advisory s chool board, borough or city s chool board, elected utility 21
board, or municipal governing body shall occur on November 3, 2026. 22
(b) The terms of office for officials elected in the November 3, 2026, election, as 23
required by (a) of this section, shall be determined as follows: 24
(1) for members of a regional school board, the terms shall be determined in 25
the same manner as for first boards under AS 14.08.061(a)(2), a s amended by sec. 1 of this 26
Act; 27
(2) for members of a borough or city school board, the terms s hall be 28
determined in the same manner as for newly created school board s under AS 14.12.050(a), as 29
amended by sec. 4 of this Act; 30
(3) for members of a municipal governing body, the terms shall be determined 31
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in the same manner as for in itial elected members under AS 29.05.120(f), as amended by sec. 1
7 of this Act. 2
(c) Notwithstanding a provisi on of AS 14, AS 29, or a municipa l law to the contrary, 3
the term of office of an incumbe nt municipal mayor or member of a regional school board, 4
advisory school board, borough or city school board, elected ut ility board, or municipal 5
governing body elected before November 3, 2026, expires not lat er than the Monday 6
following certification of the November 3, 2026, election for that office. 7
* Sec. 20. Section 19 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 8
* Sec. 21. Except as provided in sec. 20 of this Act, this Act takes effect November 3, 2026. 9