Ballot Measures, August 24, 2010
Alaska voters decided 2 statewide ballot measures on August 24, 2010.
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Ballot Measure 2 | Forbids a minor from getting an abortion without a doctor informing at least one parent | Passed (56% yes) |
| Ballot 1 | Prihibit the use of public funds for political campaigns and lobbying and prohibit political contributions from government contractors and their families | Failed (39% yes) |
General Election, November 2, 2010
Alaska held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 50 legislative seats and 2 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans widened their House majority from 22-18 to 24-16. None of the Senate seats on the ballot changed party, so the Senate stayed tied 10-10 and remained under a bipartisan coalition of all the Democrats and six Republicans rather than either party.
- Sean Parnell (R), who became governor when Sarah Palin resigned in 2009, won a full term by about 21 points over Ethan Berkowitz (D). Mead Treadwell (R) was elected lieutenant governor on his ticket.
- When the new Legislature convened in January 2011, the Senate elected the coalition's choice, Gary Stevens (R), president for a rare second straight term, and the House unanimously chose Mike Chenault (R) as speaker.
- Alan Dick (R) unseated Woodie Salmon (D) in House District 6, Mia Costello (R) unseated Bob Buch (D) in District 27, and Lance Pruitt (R) took an open Democratic seat in District 21. Democrats' lone pickup came in District 7, where Bob Miller (D) beat Mike Kelly (R), whose push to phase out public-employee pensions made him a labor target.
- Voters approved 2 of the 3 November measures: veterans' mortgage revenue bonds in Proposition A and education and library facility bonds in Proposition B. They rejected Ballot Measure 1, which would have enlarged the Legislature.
Legislature
- House (40 seats): 18 D, 21 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 16 D, 24 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (20 seats): 10 D, 10 R before the election, 10 D, 10 R after; control stayed with a bipartisan coalition.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Ballot Measure 1 | Add four more representatives and two more senators to the Alaska Legislature | Failed (40% yes) |
| Bonding Proposition A | Allow the state to guarantee up to $600 million in revenue bonds issued by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to purchase residential mortgages for qualifying veterans | Passed (62% yes) |
| Bonding Proposition B | Issue $397.2 million in general obligation bonds to fund library, education, and educational research facilities | Passed (59% yes) |