James L. Sykes (born April 8, 1950) is an American producer and elected official in the state of Alaska, who helped found the Green Party of Alaska.

Early life and career

Sykes was born in Rapid City, South Dakota and moved to Alaska ca. 1976. Sykes spent many years living and working in both Anchorage and Talkeetna. Sykes's professional experience includes work for the Alaska Native Review Commission, public radio stations KSKA and KTNA, and as executive director of the Alaska Public Interest Research Group. He homesteaded in the community of Chase, near Talkeetna, and help to found the Chase Community Council. He and his wife currently live near Palmer in a solar-powered straw-bale house.

Green Party activism

In 1990, Sykes became one of the founders of the Green Party of Alaska. As a result, Sykes initiated a lawsuit, Sykes v. Alaska, relying heavily upon case law established in the earlier ballot access lawsuits of Joe Vogler during the 1970s and 1980s. The lawsuit allowed the Green Party onto the ballot in similar fashion to the original ballot access status of the Alaskan Independence Party prior to its becoming a recognized political party. This lawsuit also led to the lessening of the threshold needed to become recognized as a political party in Alaska. In the 1990 gubernatorial election, Sykes ran as the Green Party nominee and garnered 3.3% of the vote. This established Alaska as the first state to obtain ballot access for the Green Party in the United States.

Sykes continued to be active in Green Party politics, running for the U.S. Senate twice, in 2002 and 2004, receiving 7.24% of the vote in 2002 and 2.22% in 2004.

Mat-Su Borough Assembly

In 2013, Sykes ran against Doug Glenn for an open seat in district 1 on the nonpartisan borough assembly of Matanuska-Susitna Borough. District 1 covers the eastern portion of the borough and includes Butte, Lazy Mountain, South Knik River, Farm Loop, South Fishhook, Buffalo Soapstone, Sutton, Chickaloon, Glacier View and Lake Louise. On October 1, 2013 Sykes won by 69 votes. He succeeded Warren Keogh. Sykes did not run for reelection in the 2019 election. Tim Hale defeated Brian Endle for the district 1 seat.

Electoral history

Mat-Su Borough Assembly Election 2013, District 1
PartyCandidateVotes%
Mat-Su Borough Assembly Election 2013, District 1 Party Candidate Votes % Independent Jim Sykes 1,112 51.6 Independent Doug Glenn 1,043 48.4 Total votes 2,155 100 United States Senate election in Alaska, 2004 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Lisa Murkowski (inc.) 149,773 48.58% −25.91% Democratic Tony Knowles 140,424 45.55% +25.82% Independent Marc J. Millican 8,885 2.88% Independence Jerry Sanders 3,785 1.23% Green Jim Sykes 3,053 0.99% 2.22% Libertarian Scott A. Kohlhaas 1,240 0.40% −1.87% Independent Ted Gianoutsas 732 0.24% Write-ins 423 0.14% Majority 9,349 3.03% −51.74% Turnout 308,315 Republican hold Swing United States Senate election in Alaska, 2002 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Ted Stevens (inc.) 179,438 78.17% +1.46% Democratic Frank Vondersaar 24,133 10.51% +0.17% Green Jim Sykes 16,608 7.24% −5.29% Independence Jim Dore 6,724 2.93% Libertarian Leonard Karpinski 2,354 1.03% Write-ins 291 0.13% Majority 155,305 67.66% +3.47% Turnout 229,548 Republican hold Swing1994 gubernatorial election, Alaska Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Tony Knowles 87,693 41.08 +10.2 Republican Jim Campbell 87,157 40.84 +14.7 Independence Jack Coghill 27,838 13.04 −25.8 Green Jim Sykes 8,727 4.09 +0.7 Patriot Ralph Winterrowd 1,743 0.82 +0.3 Write-ins 277 0.13 −0.0 Majority 536 0.24 −7.7 Turnout 213,435 63.5 −1.3 Democratic gain from Republican Swing -36.01 1990 gubernatorial election, Alaska Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independence Walter Hickel 75,721 38.88 +33.3 Democratic Tony Knowles 60,201 30.91 −16.4 Republican Arliss Sturgulewski 50,991 26.18 −16.4 Green Jim Sykes 6,563 3.37 N/A The Political Party Michael O'Callaghan 942 0.48 N/A Write-in votes 332 0.17 −3.8 Majority 15,520 7.97 +3.3 Turnout 194,750 Independence gain from Democratic Swing -49.70
IndependentJim Sykes1,11251.6
IndependentDoug Glenn1,04348.4
Total votes2,155100
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanLisa Murkowski (inc.)149,77348.58%−25.91%
DemocraticTony Knowles140,42445.55%+25.82%
IndependentMarc J. Millican8,8852.88%
IndependenceJerry Sanders3,7851.23%
GreenJim Sykes3,0530.99%2.22%
LibertarianScott A. Kohlhaas1,2400.40%−1.87%
IndependentTed Gianoutsas7320.24%
Write-ins4230.14%
Majority9,3493.03%−51.74%
Turnout308,315
Republican holdSwing
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanTed Stevens (inc.)179,43878.17%+1.46%
DemocraticFrank Vondersaar24,13310.51%+0.17%
GreenJim Sykes16,6087.24%−5.29%
IndependenceJim Dore6,7242.93%
LibertarianLeonard Karpinski2,3541.03%
Write-ins2910.13%
Majority155,30567.66%+3.47%
Turnout229,548
Republican holdSwing
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticTony Knowles87,69341.08+10.2
RepublicanJim Campbell87,15740.84+14.7
IndependenceJack Coghill27,83813.04−25.8
GreenJim Sykes8,7274.09+0.7
PatriotRalph Winterrowd1,7430.82+0.3
Write-ins2770.13−0.0
Majority5360.24−7.7
Turnout213,43563.5−1.3
Democratic gain from RepublicanSwing-36.01
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
IndependenceWalter Hickel75,72138.88+33.3
DemocraticTony Knowles60,20130.91−16.4
RepublicanArliss Sturgulewski50,99126.18−16.4
GreenJim Sykes6,5633.37N/A
The Political PartyMichael O'Callaghan9420.48N/A
Write-in votes3320.17−3.8
Majority15,5207.97+3.3
Turnout194,750
Independence gain from DemocraticSwing-49.70

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