Seven file, two withdraw in contested Anchorage School District races


On February 1, 2019, the filing deadline passed to run in nonpartisan elections for two seats on the Anchorage School District Board of Education in Alaska. The general election is on April 2.
 
Both seats have contested elections with two candidates running for Seat A and incumbent Starr Marsett facing two challengers to retain Seat B.
 
The original candidate list contained two additional names: James Smallwood for Seat A and Paul Hatcher for Seat B. Smallwood withdrew from the Seat A race on February 5, telling the Anchorage Daily News that he withdrew to avoid splitting the vote in a three-way race with politically similar opponents. He said he supports candidate Margo Bellamy in the election. Hatcher withdrew from the Seat B race on February 6 without stating his reason for dropping out.
 
In 2017, three seats on the Anchorage Board of Education were up for election. The races for Seats E, F, and G featured nine candidates. Lone incumbent Elisa Snelling won her Seat G re-election bid, and two newcomers also joined the board.
 
The Anchorage School District is the only Alaska school district within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope holding an election in 2019. The district served 48,238 students during the 2016-2017 school year.