| Advertisement |
|
|
Update: Alaska voters have voted yes for the transportation bonds package and no to a constitutional convention, according to unofficial election results.
As of 2:15 a.m. Wednesday, roughly 99 percent of the precincts were reporting results.
The transportation bonds passed with 57 percent in favor to 43 percent against prop A.
Every ten years, Alaskans decide if there should be a constitutional convention and it was no question voters said leave the state question alone. Ballot measure 1 was shot down with a margin of 68 percent to 32 percent.
Editor's Note: KTUU's Neil Torquiano contributed to the update of this story.
Original: Voters are having the final say Tuesday night on whether to approve $453 million in state transportation bonds including funds for some controversial projects, as well as whether the state should constitutional convention.
With about 86 percent of precincts reporting as of 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, the bond was passing by a margin of about 56 percent to 43 percent.
The bonds, which would pay for more than 30 transportation items from Sitka to North Pole, include $50 million -- its single largest expenditure -- for an expansion at the Port of Anchorage. Work on the expansion has run significantly over budget, however, and port director Bill Sheffield resigned last year after the project’s budget went from $300 million to $1.1 billion.
Another major project slated to be covered by the transportation bonds is $30 million for a rail extension to Port MacKenzie.
A ballot measure asking whether Alaskans should convene another constitutional convention -- a question which the state constitution mandates be put to voters once every 10 years -- was faring poorly Tuesday, with 68 percent of voters rejecting it and only 31 percent backing it.
Contact Chris Klint