Rules matter

Posted by Paulette Simpson

Posted: September 10, 2009 - 6:17 pm

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As reported in statewide media, Alaska Republicans are now taking applications to replace state Sen. Gene Therriault who is resigning to take a job with the Parnell administration. Therriault's District F covers North Pole, Delta Junction, Paxson, Glennallen, Sheep Mountain, Sutton and Valdez.

In accordance with Alaska Republican Party Rules, the two affected districts will follow the process for replacement spelled out on the Party website: www.alaskarepublicans.com

Whenever a Republican legislative vacancy occurs, Alaska Republican Party Rules guide the process. Anyone interested can review the Rule about “Legislative Vacancies” on the website under the, “About the GOP” tab, ARP Rules, Art. IX, Sec. 8.

No confusion, no ambiguity. Just Rules.

In accordance with those Rules, when Sen. Robin Taylor resigned his Senate A seat in 2003, about forty Republican district and precinct officers representing every precinct in Districts 1 and 2 participated in the selection of four names forwarded to Gov. Murkowski. I know because I was there.

The combined District Committee took its responsibly seriously and didn’t get cute or try to manipulate the outcome. In an open, fair and transparent process, they considered several applicants’ qualifications and then submitted viable names, not obvious “placeholders” from both districts.

The same thing happened in 2001 when Sen. Drue Pearce resigned to take the job Sen. Kim Elton did this past spring in the Interior Department. The two Anchorage House district committees convened and two names from each district (including the incumbent House representatives) were forwarded to Gov. Knowles.

As many as forty-six registered Republican residents of Districts 11 and 12 will participate in the September 19, 2009 all-day selection process. This meeting will take place in Delta Junction and will be supervised by ARP vice-chairman Steve Colligan and ARP National Committee Woman Debbie Joslin. It is expected that the process will result in three names being forwarded to Gov. Parnell.

Because Alaska Republicans have conducted these legislative replacement proceedings eight times over the past ten years, the outcome of the Sept. 19 process is likely to be clear and unassailable, resulting in the expeditious appointment of a new Republican senator for District F.

In the recent Juneau situation, the Alaska Democratic Party seemed to lack a defined replacement selection process in their rules. Does the ADP even have Rules? If they do, they are not on their Party website. The people of Juneau went without a senator for 48 days. To speed things up in the future, I’m sure Randy Ruedrich would let Alaska Democrats borrow our Republican Rules.

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