Anchorage F&G Advisory Committee Election

[BrettAKSCI]

All,

A special election meeting of the Anchorage Fish & Game Advisory Committee will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at the King Career Center located at 2650 E. Northern Lights Blvd. Doors generally open about 6pm for voting and meeting begins at 6:30. Your vote is essential and will only take around 10 minutes. If you can stay for the meeting, all the better. I realize the demand on people's time but this meeting will be electing 6 members to the Advisory Committee, which is enough to change the makeup and seriously change the outcome of almost any proposal if anti hunting interests area elected.

Other groups with non-hunting or anti hunting agendas are aware of this election and are likely to attempt to take a few seats (as they did a few years ago) in order to influence the upcoming BOF and BOG cycles. It will not take a big part of your night has you can walk in, vote, and walk back out if you do not wish to attend the meeting. Here's a list of known pro-hunting and fishing candidates:

Sam Albanese, Jim Bolgiano, Gary Brell, Neil Dewitt, Dwight Johnson, Michael Klehr

Please pass this information on to all your hunting friends in the Anchorage area! Thanks!

Brett

[BrettAKSCI]

Bump to the top for a good cause.

Brett

[homerdave]

So "ballot-box biology" is okay, as long as you have control of the ballot box, eh?

[bushrat]

Brett, this is the same thing that SFW sent out:

URGENT SFW Message to hunters: Take one night to save your rights! PLEASE

There is a special Election meeting of the Anchorage Advisory Committee on Tuesday the 28th of October 26, 2014 at the King Career Center located at 2650 east Northern Lights Blvd at 6:30. Doors general open about 30mins prior. Werealize the demand on your time but this meeting will be electing 6 members to the Committee which is enough to change the makeup and seriously change the outcome of almost any proposal. The Anti's have become aware of this election and are likely to attempt to take seats from our coalition in order to influence the upcoming BOF and BOG cycles. They the would like to show support for actions the Federal Government are taking in the National Park Preserves and threating on all federal lands. It is imperative to get the vote out and safeguard our interest in this matter. It will not take a big part of your night has you can walk in vote and walk back out if you do not wish to attend the meeting. Our candidates are listed below: Sam Albanese Jim Bolgiano Gary Brell Neil Dewitt Dwight Johnson Michael Klehr Got a Smartphone? Take a pic of this list (above) and take it with you Tues night. You don't even have to stick around, but you are welcome to. We'll do all the hard work. These guys just really need your support to keep Alaska, "Alaskan". Thanks SFW Alaska

[BrettAKSCI]

So "ballot-box biology" is okay, as long as you have control of the ballot box, eh?

You're too brevis for me Dave............

[BrettAKSCI]

I believe you're right Mark.

Brett

[polardds]

So how did the Vote go???

[BrettAKSCI]

Not sure. I voted, but had other commitments after that, so had to leave.

Brett

[Brian M]

I hope that most who voted were able to stick around to hear the candidate statements and incorporated that into their voting decisions. I remember the debacle that occurred a few years back when this same sort of call went out. It was the same story - anti-hunting interests were threatening to take over the majority of seats on the Anchorage AC, so SFW and a few others (maybe AOC?) sent out their lists of candidates to vote for. I get advocacy and don't fault orgs for doing so - that's part of their mission - but the way it all shook out was discouraging at best. There were a few men who gave very solid speeches and who would have made excellent AC members (all hunters, at least one a member here), but none of them had a chance because they weren't on the anointed lists being handed out. Most people walked in, voted the list in their hands, then left without even listening to the statements being made at that very moment. Democracy in action, eh?

It's not an uninvolved electorate that I fear. In my opinion, an uninformed electorate is a far bigger risk - be it for national office or our local AC. It's a shame that viable candidates cannot be heard over the voice of pre-set lists of candidates with the blessing of various orgs. Or...at least that's how it went down in the past. I sincerely hope this time was different.

[BrettAKSCI]

I hope that most who voted were able to stick around to hear the candidate statements and incorporated that into their voting decisions. I remember the debacle that occurred a few years back when this same sort of call went out. It was the same story - anti-hunting interests were threatening to take over the majority of seats on the Anchorage AC, so SFW and a few others (maybe AOC?) sent out their lists of candidates to vote for. I get advocacy and don't fault orgs for doing so - that's part of their mission - but the way it all shook out was discouraging at best. There were a few men who gave very solid speeches and who would have made excellent AC members (all hunters, at least one a member here), but none of them had a chance because they weren't on the anointed lists being handed out. Most people walked in, voted the list in their hands, then left without even listening to the statements being made at that very moment. Democracy in action, eh?

It's not an uninvolved electorate that I fear. In my opinion, an uninformed electorate is a far bigger risk - be it for national office or our local AC. It's a shame that viable candidates cannot be heard over the voice of pre-set lists of candidates with the blessing of various orgs. Or...at least that's how it went down in the past. I sincerely hope this time was different.

Brian,

That's great feedback and I think in a lot of ways you are right. I will pass that along and see if groups like AOC and AK SCI can do a better job of raising awareness of the vote in the future without unduly affecting who people vote for. Thanks for the thoughtful insight.

Brett

[Brian M]

Brian,

That's great feedback and I think in a lot of ways you are right. I will pass that along and see if groups like AOC and AK SCI can do a better job of raising awareness of the vote in the future without unduly affecting who people vote for. Thanks for the thoughtful insight.

Brett

Hope it didn't come across as insulting, Brett. I wasn't referring to you - I'm sure in your position you knew the candidates and where they stood. I just wish the same was true of the masses I saw voting that night. I guess I'd rather see the various orgs encouraging folks to show up and participate/listen and then vote for candidates that they feel represent their interests rather than giving them a pre-set list. I understand the point of endorsements, though.

Thanks for the reply.

[BrettAKSCI]

No offense at all. I quite frankly agree with you and I've already initiated an email discussion to see what we can do in the future to not foster mindless voting that shortchanges good candidates. Again thank you for the thoughtful feedback!

Brett

[martentrapper]

Had the same sort of election 3 weeks ago in Fbks. Wasn't much interest by the locals. 5 seats up and 6 candidates. One vote really counted in that election.
Dave, your apparently confused. AC only "advise" the 2 boards. That isn't quite ballot box biology. If your so concerned to that you feel you need to make your usual snide remark.................did you attend the meeting? Are your remarks on here represent the opinion of ABCHA?

[polardds]

I am not that computer savvy but could not find any information of the F&G website for the election results. Just trying to see who was elected and if the push here made a difference. They are all gung ho to get people to go vote but then nobody wants to follow up.