Juneau sees 36.11% turnout for 2026 regular municipal election
Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, October 21, 2026
The final results of the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ)’s Oct. 6 Regular Municipal Election are officially certified, locking in decisive wins for local candidates and drawing a curtain on key tax propositions.
Following two days of review, CBJ’s Canvass Review Board concluded its evaluation Tuesday afternoon, validating the tallies from a hybrid by-mail and in-person election that drew a final voter turnout of 10,027 — 36.11% of registered voters. Official data released by CBJ election officials finalized the upcoming rosters for the Juneau Assembly and the Board of Education.
Paul Roy Kelly was reelected to his second full three-year term for Areawide Assembly with 62.09% of the vote, while Mila Cosgrove, who ran unopposed, was newly elected to her first term as District 1 Assemblymember. Joyce M. Niven was newly elected to her first term as District 2 Assemblymember, receiving 33.06% of the vote.
Both Board of Education incumbents retained their positions over a single challenger, as David Noon and Britteny Cioni-Haywood were reelected with 40.1% and 36.29% of the vote, respectively.
Kelly said that while people have voiced disagreement with the Assembly in recent years, he has been steadfast in his constituent outreach to help build trust.
“This includes hosting my weekly office hours so constituents can talk to me one-on-one, writing my monthly newsletters, so constituents can better understand how we reach our decisions, and showing up regularly at community events because I believe the Assembly should be approachable,” he said.
Kelly added that he continues to support education through funding for educations, charter and Montessori programs, and new playgrounds.
Cosgrove’s top priority is to help the Assembly develop a sustainable budget that reflects the community’s priorities and help resole the ongoing impact of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) on the community, which she calls critical. She added that tourism and its impact on the community continues to be an issue that will require the Assembly’s attention.
“As an Assemblymember, I hope to build on that base and continue to look for ways to inform and engage the community on important issues, listen to the community’s needs and concerns, and respond in a way that builds a future people feel connected to,” she said.
Niven said during the campaign that housing affordability is one of her biggest concerns heading into her first term.
“I want people to be able to afford to live here and to thrive,” she said.
Noon and Cioni-Haywood have both said throughout the election that they work well together and look forward to continuing their partnership in their second term as a tandem.
The formal certification also seals the fate of highly debated local tax measures, including the renewal of the Temporary 3% Areawide Sales Tax under Proposition A, which proposed renewing the existing temporary tax for five additional years from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2032 with a continuation of the Assembly’s intended tax revenue allocation.
The proposition was passed with 7,840 Yes votes and 1,946 No votes, and will take effect on July 1, 2027.
Proposition B – Mill Rate Cap Change, which proposed increasing the property tax rate to 12 mills up from the current rate cap of nine mills, failed to pass, with 5,208 No votes and 4,715 Yes votes.
Proposition C – 1% Seasonal Sales Tax, which would implement a new tax effective April 1 through Sept. 30 each year to help fund both indoor and outdoor recreation, passed with 5,702 Yes votes and 4,274 No votes.
“CBJ would like to extend our gratitude to the 10,027 people who voted in this election, those candidates who ran for office, and all those involved with races and propositions on the ballot,” CBJ stated. “Special thanks to the dedicated CBJ Election Workers and support staff who contributed hours of time to ensure the safety and integrity of our municipal election.”
