Candidates for Petersburg’s Borough Election will have to disclose their sources of income, business interests and other basic financial information when they file for office. That’s a State of Alaska requirement and it’s not new. However, it may be NEWS to many people in Petersburg, which is one of a number of smaller towns where voters chose to opt-out of the disclosure laws decades ago. Since then, local candidates and office-holders have been exempt from the disclosure rules. For instance, Petersburg’s city council candidates only have to turn in a petition to run for office. Voters in a future Petersburg borough could choose to opt-out as well, but that hasn’t happened yet.

So at least this time around, borough candidates will have to declare their financial interests on-line or on paper, just like candidates for the legislature. That’s according to the Division of Elections and the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

Matt Lichtenstein asked APOC Executive Director Paul Dauphinais about the disclosure requirements:

For more information, visit these links to the State Division of Elections or Alaska public Offices Commission websites.