The Alaska Division of Elections says Bill McCord isn\u2019t running for the Alaska Legislature.<\/p>\n
He says otherwise.<\/p>\n
The Haines Libertarian is pressing ahead with a write-in campaign to challenge Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, to represent House District 33 in the Alaska Legislature, even after receiving a letter saying his candidacy is invalid.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour declaration of candidacy indicates that you have been a resident of Alaska since May 5, 2014, which as of today … does not meet the three-year Alaska residency requirement,\u201d Alaska Division of Elections director Josie Bahnke wrote on Wednesday. \u201cFor this reason, I am denying certification of your candidacy for House District 33.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reached by phone on Thursday, McCord had a simple response to that letter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I can say is they\u2019re acting unconstitutionally, and there\u2019s case law that verifies that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Officially, Kito has no challengers in his bid for re-election to represent a district that includes downtown Juneau and the northern end of Lynn Canal including Skagway, Haines and Gustavus.<\/p>\n
Unofficially, McCord has been working on a write-in campaign since late August, shortly after the statewide primary.<\/p>\n
In an email to the Empire, he said he \u201cstands for prioritizing the Marine Highway system, scrapping \u2018The Road,\u2019 preventing income tax, ending special sessions, and protecting civil liberties.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his website, www.mccordforstatehouse.com<\/a>, he lists his experience as a teacher and his background as a Libertarian Party member since 1972.<\/p>\n Alaska law allows any person to register as a write-in candidate for election up to five days before Election Day.<\/p>\n McCord filed his form on Sept. 30 via fax from a store on Main Street in Haines. In the section \u201cResidency Information,\u201d he states that he has been a resident of Alaska since May 5, 2014.<\/p>\n Article 2, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states that \u201ca member of the Legislature shall be a qualified voter who has been a resident of Alaska for at least three years,\u201d among other requirements.<\/p>\n McCord says that requirement may violate a different part of the state constitution, one pertaining to \u201cequal protection\u201d under the law.<\/p>\n In 1994, the Alaska Supreme Court found that a three-year residency requirement for local city council was too strict, and McCord pointed to that decision in saying that the Alaska Constitution\u2019s limit may be illegal.<\/p>\n He said he is considering legal action, and by email added: \u201cHence, the William McCord campaign marches on \u2014 challenging unconstitutional actions of the state as well as the Alaska Legislature\u2019s failure to rectify a serious flaw in the Democratic process.\u201d<\/p>\n But what happens right now if someone writes \u201cWilliam McCord\u201d on their ballot in November \u2014 would it count?<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t count. Nope,\u201d said Sharon Forrest, elections supervisor for the Division of Elections.<\/p>\n \u2022 Contact reporter James Brooks at 523-2258 or james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com.<\/p>\n Read more news:<\/strong><\/p>\n Nageak wins lawsuit, judge overturns election result<\/a><\/p>\n