On this episode of the Kenai Conversation, we’re joined by Greg Powers, general consultant with the Repeal Now, the campaign that favors repealing ranked-choice voting and open primaries in Alaska.
Editor's note:
After this episode was recorded, KDLL reached out to clarify some things Greg Powers said, and received these responses. First, on fundraising. Powers says opponents of Ballot Proposition 2 have raised $30 million over the last two election cycles. Later, he said that number is closer to $24 million per campaign finance data. He says Repeal Now expects that number to hit $30 million after the next round of financial reports is published, based on internal campaign software that he says won’t be made public.
Also, Powers says during the conversation that QUOTE “Jonathan Soros openly donated to our opposition.” KDLL was unable to corroborate that statement with publicly available campaign finance data. Greg says Soros is a known supporter of ranked-choice voting, but says Alaskans for Better Election’s status as a 501(c)4 means voters can’t see individual contributions to the campaign’s education arm.
In response, Alaskans for Better Elections Executive Director Juli Lucky says she strongly objects to the implication that her organization is hiding something, especially regarding public disclosure of money in politics. She also says the group’s 501(c)3 nonprofit substantial donors are reported in publicly available tax returns. Additionally, Lucky says she found no contributions from Jonathan Soros, the Soros Open Society Foundation or the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting to either arm of Alaskans for Better Elections during the initial ranked-choice voting campaign.
Julia Anastos is the campaign manager for Protect Alaska’s Elections, which opposes Ballot Measure 2. She says Jonathan Soros has not donated to the campaign, and that all campaign donation information is updated in a timely manner with the Alaska Public Offices Commission with true sources.
