The Kenai Peninsula Borough will spend up to $34,000 before the Oct. 7 election to support an education campaign online and in print about “challenges” with citizen-led initiatives on this year’s ballot that would require hand-counting future ballots and align the borough’s election day with the state.

Ballot Proposition No. 1, if approved by voters, would require hand counting of all in-person paper ballots in borough elections. Ballot Proposition No. 5 would move the borough’s election date to align with the state’s election day.

An ordinance enacted via the borough assembly’s consent agenda on Tuesday, Sept. 2, says that the borough can spend the funds to distribute information that may influence the outcome of an election. The ordinance was sponsored by Assembly Vice President Kelly Cooper and saw no discussion by the body during the meeting.

A document attached to the ordinance outlines the goals of an advertising campaign to assure voters that electronic tabulating equipment for counting ballots in borough elections is efficient, secure and cost effective. If the ballot measure were to pass, the document says, the borough could expect to spend a significant amount greater to hire more election workers to count all borough ballots and that the likelihood of error in counting would be increased.

A scope of work has not been published for a campaign centering on Prop. No. 5, but the ordinance says “voters should be aware” of logistical concerns that would arise from aligning state and borough elections. The borough cannot share election workers or other infrastructure like signs and booths with the state, and would need to hire and purchase its own.

The change, if made under the proposition, would also leave the cities behind, the ordinance says — potentially voiding agreements between the borough and cities for election administration and also leaving some local elections behind on the previous October election day.

“It is essential to provide factual, nonpartisan information on the efficiencies, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy of ballot tabulators and local election processes, procedures and practices,” the ordinance reads.

Under the scope of work included with the ordinance, the campaign will feature digital ads on Facebook, “local news websites,” and the Kenai Peninsula Borough website to include images, infographics, and “possible” short-form videos. There will also be print ads placed in newspapers including the Clarion as well as posters and flyers placed in “strategic public locations.”

The full text of the ordinance can be found at kpb.legistar.com.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.