Organizers of a campaign to recall Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy will hold drive-through petition signing events in Fairbanks and Anchorage this weekend, both manned by volunteers wearing personal protection equipment to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Masked volunteers will offer single-use petition booklets, explain the signing process and provide a drop off deposit for completed petitions.
The campaign’s decision to use this method of signature collection is unprecedented in the United States right now, said Claire Pywell, campaign manager. Since winning in a case before the Alaska Supreme Court in early May to proceed with the signature gathering, the campaign has worked to collect the required number of signatures as soon as possible, so that a special election on the matter can be scheduled.
Efforts to collect signatures at various locations were paused in many Alaska communities urged residents to hunker down at home because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the campaign began sending out individual signature petitions by mail to those requesting them.
The Fairbanks drive-through at the former Sports Authority parking lot was set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. In Anchorage the drive-through was scheduled across from the former Johnson’s Tire Service in midtown from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31.
