Alaska Voters Reject Retention of Two Kenai Judges
Alaska voters rejected the retention of Superior Court Judge Kelly Lawson and District Court Judge Martin Fallon following negative recommendations from the Alaska Judicial Council.
Preliminary results from Tuesday's general election show that Alaska voters rejected the retention of two judges in Kenai. Superior Court Judge Kelly Lawson was rejected by approximately 58.2% of voters, and District Court Judge Martin Fallon was rejected by approximately 59.1%.
The Alaska Judicial Council issued a rare recommendation to vote against both judges, marking the first such dual recommendation since 2014. The council cited a lack of judicial temperament and integrity regarding communications with employees in Lawson's case, and cited Fallon's signing of inaccurate pay affidavits and failure to dispose of cases promptly.
To manage the resulting vacancies, the Judiciary of Alaska will employ retired pro tempore judges as a temporary solution. The state plans to advertise the positions and nominate candidates for gubernatorial appointment in early May. Final election results are expected to be certified by November 25.
