Brooks takes solid lead over Bryson; lower property tax cap ahead 51%-49% in updated election results
- Mark Sabbatini
- Oct 10
- 2 min read
Whitney, Cullum, Thomas lead school board race; sales tax exemption has big lead, seasonal sales tax headed for defeat
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
This is a developing story.
Nathaniel "Nano" Brooks has a 52.3%-47.7% lead over incumbent Wade Bryson in the Juneau Assembly District 2 race, while a ballot proposition to lower the cap on the mill rate is clinging to a 51%-49% lead in Juneau’s municipal election, according to updated results released Friday evening.
In the other close contest on the ballot, Steve Whitney appears to have won reelection to one of three open school board seats with 27.06% of ballots cast, with challengers Melissa Cullum at 21.21% and Jenny Thomas at 20.29%. Jeremy Johnson has 19.62% and write-in incumbent Deedie Sorensen 11.81%
A sales tax exemption on food and utilities (Proposition 2) is easily passing by about a 69.5%-30.5% vote, while a seasonal sales tax (Proposition 3) appears assured of defeat with a current margin of 42.35%-57.65%.
Assembly members Ella Adkison and Greg Smith are set to be reelected after running unopposed.
The updated totals include 9,896 ballots of 28,017 distributed to residents, according to the City and Borough of Juneau’s official website.
"Election staff estimate that there are 200–400 ballots remaining to be counted," the website notes.
If that estimate is accurate, it means Bryson, a two-term incumbent with 4,242 votes as of Friday, will be unable to catch up to Brooks who has 4,652 votes.
Bryson, contacted by phone Friday night, declined to comment immediately about the results, stating he would discuss them Saturday.
Proposition 1, which would lower the property tax cap to nine mills instead of 12, has 5,002 votes in favor and 4,807 opposed.
A total of 127 votes separate Thomas (3,822) and Johnson 3,695. However, Johnson has lost ground in the race since he was leading Thomas 2,366-2,302 after the first round of ballots were counted Tuesday night.
CBJ’s Canvass Review Board is scheduled to certify the results Oct. 21, but "certification may be delayed by up to three days on a case-by-case basis as may be required."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
