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Kevin Meyer (politician)

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Kevin Meyer
Meyer in 2014
14th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
In office
December 3, 2018 – December 5, 2022
GovernorMike Dunleavy
Preceded byValerie Davidson
Succeeded byNancy Dahlstrom
President of the Alaska Senate
In office
January 20, 2015 – January 17, 2017
Preceded byCharlie Huggins
Succeeded byPete Kelly
Majority Leader of the Alaska Senate
In office
January 18, 2011 – January 15, 2013
Preceded byJohnny Ellis
Succeeded byJohn Coghill
Member of the Alaska Senate
In office
January 20, 2009 – December 3, 2018
Preceded byJohn Cowdery (O)
Johnny Ellis (L)
Anna MacKinnon (M)
Succeeded byPeter Micciche (O)
Lesil McGuire (L)
Chris Birch (M)
ConstituencyO district (2009–2013)
L district (2013–2015)
M district (2015–2018)
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
In office
January 8, 2001 – January 20, 2009
Preceded byJerry Sanders (19th)
Joe Hayes (30th)
Succeeded byTom Anderson (19th)
Charisse Millett (30th)
Constituency19th district (2001–2003)
30th district (2003–2009)
Chair of the Anchorage Assembly
In office
December 14, 1999 – May 16, 2000
Preceded byGeorge Wuerch
Succeeded byFay Von Gemmingen
Member of the Anchorage Assembly
from Seat G
In office
May 1, 1993 – January 7, 2001
Preceded byDuane French
Succeeded byDick Traini
Personal details
Born
Kevin Gerald Meyer

(1956-05-09) May 9, 1956 (age 68)
Beatrice, Nebraska, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMarty
Children2
EducationUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln (BS)
University of New Mexico (MPA)
Alaska Pacific University (MBA)

Kevin Gerald Meyer (born May 9, 1956 in Beatrice, Nebraska) is an American politician who served as the 14th lieutenant governor of Alaska from 2018 to 2022. He was a Republican member of the Alaska Senate from January 20, 2009 to December 3, 2018, representing District M.[1] He was president of the Alaska Senate, leading a caucus of 14 Republicans and 1 Democrat from 2015 to 2017. Meyer served in the Alaska Legislature continuously from 2003 to 2018, in both the Alaska House of Representatives and Senate, previously representing the district when it was District O. He works as an investment recovery coordinator for ConocoPhillips.

On December 29, 2021, Meyer announced that he would not be seeking a second term.[2]

Education

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Meyer earned his BS in business administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, his MPA from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and his MBA from Alaska Pacific University.[3]

Elections

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  • 2000: Challenging incumbent Republican Representative Jerry Sanders for the District 19 seat, Meyer won the August 22, 2000 primary with 706 votes (54.94%)[4] and won the November 7, 2000 General election with 4,502 votes (64.67%) against Democratic nominee Patti Higgins,[5] who had previously run for the seat in 1996 and 1998.
  • 2002: Meyer was unopposed for the August 27, 2002 Republican primary, winning with 1,664 votes,[6] and was unopposed for the November 5, 2002 General election, winning with 4,891 votes (96.41%) against write-in candidates.[7]
  • 2004: Meyer was unopposed for the August 24, 2004 Republican primary, winning with 1,664 votes,[8] and won the November 2, 2004 General election with 5,407 votes (70.96%), against Democratic nominee Rachael Higgins.[9]
  • 2006: Meyer was unopposed for the August 22, 2006 Republican primary, winning with 2,530 votes,[10] and was unopposed for the November 7, 2006 General election with 4,893 votes (94.55%), against write-in candidates.[11]
  • 2008: When Republican Senator John Cowdery retired and left the District O seat open, Meyer was unopposed for the August 26, 2008 Republican Primary, winning with 4,515 votes,[12] Meyer won the November 4, 2008 General election with 9,874 votes (68.88%) against Democratic nominee Doug Van Etten.[13]
  • 2012: With Democratic Senator Johnny Ellis redistricted to District I, Meyer was unopposed for the District L August 28, 2012 Republican Primary winning with 3,110 votes,[14] and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 10,304 votes (72.41%) against Democratic nominee Jake Hale.[15]

Controversies

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In 2013, Meyer voted with the Alaska Senate Majority to pass Senate Bill 21, restructuring the state of Alaska's tax code for oil companies and reducing their tax burden. This vote benefited Meyer's full-time employer, ConocoPhillips. (Membership in the Alaska state legislature is not a full-time position, and Meyer, like many of his fellow members, maintain full-time employment elsewhere, taking leave when the legislature is in session.) When the bill came to the Senate floor, Meyer asked to be recused from voting. Under legislative rules, however, a member of the legislature must vote if any other members object, and several did.[16]

In 2015, Meyer announced he had offered a contract for communications consulting to McHugh Pierre.[17] Pierre formerly served as the civilian second in command for the Alaska State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, but was forced to resign in 2014 after investigation revealed he had exerted inappropriate and undue influence to derail an investigation of a high school friend of his then serving in the National Guard and suspected of sexually assaulting another member of the Alaska National Guard. Investigation also revealed Pierre attempted to coerce whistle-blowers into signing non-disclosure agreements prohibiting them from speaking to the media or outsiders about ongoing problems with multiple sexual assaults and other misconduct in the Alaska National Guard.[18] Meyer described the allegations against Pierre, including those contained in the report prepared by the National Guard Bureau's Office of Complex Investigations as "hearsay."

In 2020, Meyer decided to mail absentee ballot applications to voters 65 and older, but not to younger voters. The Disability Law Center of Alaska and other plaintiffs are suing Lieutenant Governor Meyer and the State of Alaska on the grounds that this constitutes unconstitutional discrimination. The plaintiffs want absentee ballot applications mailed to all voters.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Kevin Meyer". Juneau, Alaska: Alaska Legislature. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  2. ^ "Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer will not run for reelection in 2022". Anchorage Daily News. December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "Senator Kevin Meyer's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  4. ^ "Election Summary Report State of Alaska Primary Election 2000". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Archived from the original on January 24, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  5. ^ "Election Summary Report State of Alaska General Election 2000". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  6. ^ "State of Alaska Primary Election August 27, 2002 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  7. ^ "State of Alaska General Election November 5, 2002 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  8. ^ "State of Alaska 2004 Primary Election August 24, 2004". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  9. ^ "State of Alaska 2004 General Election November 2, 2004 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  10. ^ "State of Alaska 2006 Primary Election August 22, 2006". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  11. ^ "State of Alaska 2006 General Election November 7, 2006 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  12. ^ "State of Alaska 2008 Primary Election August 26, 2008 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  13. ^ "State of Alaska 2008 General Election November 4, 2008 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  14. ^ "State of Alaska 2012 Primary Election August 28, 2012 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  15. ^ "State of Alaska 2012 General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  16. ^ "ConocoPhillips employees steer Alaska oil tax cut bill through Legislature". Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  17. ^ "Senate majority to hire official ousted amid National Guard scrutiny". Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  18. ^ "Military and Veterans Affairs official resigns at Parnell's request". Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  19. ^ "Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief" (PDF). Equal Citizens. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by
Duane French
 Member of the Anchorage Assembly
from Seat G
1993–2001 		Succeeded by
Dick Traini
Preceded by Chair of the Anchorage Assembly
1999–2000 		Succeeded by
Fay Von Gemmingen
Preceded by President of the Alaska Senate
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
2018–2022 		Succeeded by
Alaska House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
from the 19th district
2001–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
from the 30th district
2003–2009 		Succeeded by
Alaska Senate
Preceded by Member of the Alaska Senate
from O district
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Alaska Senate
from L district
2013–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Alaska Senate
from M district
2015–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Majority Leader of the Alaska Senate
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
2018 		Succeeded by
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