Austin Quinn-Davidson to become Anchorage’s first gay & first woman mayor

Austin Quinn-Davidson
Photo: Anchorage Assembly website

The city of Anchorage, Alaska will have its first woman mayor and its first gay mayor as Austin Quinn-Davidson is set to become the city’s acting mayor after Mayor Ethan Berkowitz (D) announced his resignation amidst sexual harassment allegations.

“At first, I was very resistant, because it is a big task,” she told the Anchorage Daily News. She will officially become acting mayor on Friday after Berkowitz’s resignation takes effect.

Related: A ‘Christian’ homeless shelter in Anchorage is suing for the right to ban trans women

Last week on Tuesday, Berkowitz announced his resignation after he admitted to having a “consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship” with television news anchor Maria Athens.

“I apologize to the people of Anchorage for a major lapse in judgment I made several years ago,” he said in a statement. “I’m embarrassed and ashamed for the hurt I’ve caused my family and our community. I take responsibility for my actions.”

Athens also accused Berkowitz of posting pictures of his genitalia to the internet.

Quinn-Davidson, who is originally from California, is an accomplished attorney and has served on the Anchorage Assembly since 2018. She is on the Assembly’s Community and Economic Development Committee and co-chairs the Health Policy Committee.

The city’s charter requires the chair of the Anchorage Assembly to step up and fill in for the mayor until either a special election can be held or the next regular election is held. Since the Assembly’s chair – Felix Rivera – did not want to become acting mayor, the Assembly voted to reorganize itself this past Friday and made Quinn-Davidson the chair and Rivera the vice chair. When Berkowitz’s resignation takes effect next Friday, Quinn-Davidson will become acting mayor and Rivera will effectively retain his role as chair.

“I know vice chair Quinn-Davidson to be a person who is…

Read full story, and more, from Source: Austin Quinn-Davidson to become Anchorage’s first gay & first woman mayor

Share

About Gay Today

Editor of Gay Today