Anchorage Voters Narrowly Split on School Bond and Tax Levy

Incumbents lead in Assembly races as city considers $155 million in bonds and levies.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:03am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a lone ballot box sitting on a wooden table, its surface reflecting the warm glow of sunlight streaming in through a nearby window. The scene conveys a sense of quiet contemplation, hinting at the complex decisions facing Anchorage residents as they navigate the city's political landscape.As Anchorage voters weigh school funding and municipal bonds, the city's political landscape reflects a cautious embrace of the status quo.Anchorage Today

With less than 2 percentage points separating the results, the outcomes for the Anchorage School District bond and tax levy proposals remained unclear as of Wednesday. Election officials had counted ballots from approximately 47,700 voters, representing 20.3% of the city's registered voters. Incumbents continued to lead in the Anchorage Assembly races, and most of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's bond package proposals appeared to be passing in the early results.

Why it matters

The school district bond and tax levy proposals are crucial for funding education in Anchorage, with the tax levy aimed at reducing class sizes and protecting student programming amidst a budget deficit. The outcome of these measures, as well as the Assembly races, will shape the city's priorities and direction under the LaFrance administration.

The details

The preliminary results showed the one-time school district levy with 48.5% yes votes (23,156) and 50.3% no votes (23,992), a difference of 836 votes. The $79 million school bond package had 48.7% yes votes (23,227) and 50% no votes (23,867), a difference of 640 votes. Election officials said they expect to finish processing the remaining ballots by Friday, with the final results certified by the Anchorage Assembly on April 28.

  • As of Wednesday evening, election officials had counted ballots from approximately 47,700 voters, representing 20.3% of the city's roughly 235,400 registered voters.
  • Election officials plan to post updates on the remaining ballots before 6:30 p.m. each evening this week.
  • The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to certify the election results on April 28.

The players

Sheri Whitethorn

An election official who scanned ballots on election day in the MOA election center.

Kelly Lessens

A school board member who remained hopeful the school bond would pass as more ballots were counted.

Liz Edwards

The election administrator who said staff will work through mail-in votes and ballots that need signature checks through the April 23 deadline.

Suzanne LaFrance

The Mayor of Anchorage whose bond package proposals appeared to be passing in the early results.

Nora Morse

The Deputy Chief of Staff who said the results show residents 'believe in the direction the LaFrance administration is taking Anchorage.'

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What they’re saying

“It's going to be a very narrow victory, but I think it's going to pass.”

— Kelly Lessens, School board member

“It really felt like the voters gave the mayor and the Assembly confirmation they are happy with the work that's being done, and they want to continue to invest in that work.”

— Nora Morse, Deputy Chief of Staff

“Putting the school levy on the ballot was probably a wise choice. Otherwise we would have no revenue measures on the ballot, and no way to realistically provide funding for the school district up to the local contribution maximum.”

— Felix Rivera, Outgoing Assembly member

“It's difficult the position that Anchorage residents are being put in, to essentially increase their own property taxes to cover funding, (when) realistically the state should be the one ponying up the funds.”

— Felix Rivera, Outgoing Assembly member

What’s next

Election officials will process the bulk of the remaining ballots over the course of the week with plans to post updates before 6:30 p.m. each evening. The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to certify the election results on April 28.

The takeaway

The narrow split in the school bond and tax levy results, along with the continued leadership of Assembly incumbents aligned with Mayor LaFrance's priorities, suggest Anchorage voters are cautiously supportive of the city's current direction, even as they grapple with the difficult position of having to raise their own taxes to fund education.