Gail Fenumiai, after 32 years of service to the state, has resigned as the director of Division of Elections. She made her way to the exit in an orderly manner, using her own power.
As Lt. Governor, she is also retiring. Nancy Dahlstrom assumes her new duties, including overseeing elections. Fenumiai stated that she was not asked to resign, and that she believes the arrival of the new lieutenant- governor is an accident.
Fenumiai stated, “I began thinking about it in September.”
The foundations of democracy have been threatened by national doubts about the integrity of elections. Alaskan Fenumiai, however, just kept going. She was a steady hand on her rudder no matter what happened in the wild 2022 election.
She learned in March that the slow march to the first ranked choice election in the state would not be a sprint due to the sudden need for special elections and the passing of Congressman Don Young.
She administered the first state-wide election entirely via mail in June.
She conducted her first ranked-choice election in August, four months before she had planned. To further challenge an election administrator, the special election was held on the same day of the regular primary. This year, the special election was held under new rules.
Fenumiai didn’t break a sweat.
“I did not feel that it was stressful. She said that she believed there was a plan and that it had been implemented. Friday was her last day at work.
Her motto was to just follow the rules as laid out in election law. Even though the law was new, she insisted that they follow the rules, even if an unexpected election occurs.
She said, “I’m very proud to all the staff at this division.” “I’m going back to the special prima, you know? The first all-by-mail election in the state. It was a condensed time frame in which it could be conducted. It went very, very well.
Fenumiai isn’t taking a position on the 2020 Alaskan system, which includes a nonpartisan primary and a ranked general choice general. Fenumiai isn’t going to compromise her neutrality by expressing an opinion at the door.
She stated, “I believe it’s important that anyone in this job has neutrality, and no partisanship.” “Because there is no place for it in this job.”
Scott Kendall, an Anchorage lawyer and the architect of Ballot Measure 2, ranked choice voting, is one person who has witnessed Fenumiai in action over many years. When he was representing Lisa Murkowski’s historic write-in campaign, he witnessed Fenumiai at its peak in 2010.
Kendall said, “Gosh! I think it was ultimately eight or ten hours days,” Kendall remembered.
Fenumiai reviewed thousands of ballots in Juneau’s big warehouse. Hour after hour. Day after day. Kendall stated that he has never seen her lose her composure. She wouldn’t divulge her personal opinion on the merits or ineligibility of any ballot challenge if she did.
Kendall stated, “I wouldn’t play poker with Gail Fenumiai.” “She had an amazing demeanor, which was firm and confident but never lost her cool. She never lost her cool.
Fenumiai stated that she is confident that Alaska will continue to hold elections with the highest integrity and transparency. Any skeptics should sign up to become a poll worker. They will be amazed at how many checks and balances have been built into the system and how passionate division staffers are about the job.
Fenumiai plans to volunteer at her church after her state service ends. She is interested in the food pantry, and possibly the summer lunch program.
She stated that work has always been a priority, and she is now shifting her priorities.
