Save Anchorage Links Four Minute and Thirty-two Second Bronson Campaign "How To" Video

A 'How To' video posted to YouTube on May 11, 2021, the Anchorage Mayoral Runoff Election day, came to light after the link was posted to the Save Anchorage Facebook group.

Save Anchorage claims a group membership of roughly 8,500 individuals. Today, May 27, 2021, the 'How To' video had been seen just 104 times.

The video, which appears to be an attempt to instruct Bronson for Mayor observers, raises questions about how well-trained the campaign's observers were ahead of the Anchorage Mayoral Runoff Election of May 11 in light of a recent report by the Anchorage Municipal Clerk.

The report notes that the majority of observers who showed up at the Election Center were not trained.

Few of the observers participated in the tours of the election center before the election when staff had time to explain the election processes. According to the report, observers did not demonstrate knowledge after watching two online videos of ballot envelope and ballot processing before observing at the election center.

"Many observers behaved as if the purpose of their role was to find fault with the election process and Election Officials, instead of working cooperatively with the Election Officials, whose duty is to follow the law and perform their duties to the best of their ability to ensure a fair and honest election. Observers seemed frustrated by a preconceived PERCEPTION of what was happening at the Election Center and with the vote at home/vote by mail system," according to the Clerk's report.

Candidates and campaigns that wish to register observers are “responsible for the training of all observers under their authority on the proper conduct of observers according to these guidelines,” according to the 2021 Observer Manual.

The unlisted video, which is a paltry four minutes and thirty-two seconds long and which was posted the day of the Mayoral Runoff Election, seems to be, by itself, wholly inadequate for training campaign observers, if that is all the training observers received.