Residents of Sitka, Alaska, are pushing for a ballot initiative to curb the growing number of cruise ship tourists by 2025. The nonprofit Small Town SOUL has drafted an ordinance proposing stricter visitor caps, a shortened cruise season, and a mandatory no-ship day each week. Klaudia Leccese, president of Small Town SOUL, aims to have the initiative on the October election ballot, but delays could necessitate a special election. If passed, Sitka’s 8,300 residents will vote on setting a daily limit of 4,500 passengers onshore and an annual cap of 300,000 visitors, down from the current 600,000 annual visitors.

The initiative also addresses infrastructure concerns, proposing penalties for cruise lines that exceed passenger limits and independent verification of passenger counts. Larry Edwards, an initiative sponsor, highlights the strain on local infrastructure and quality of life caused by the influx of tourists. This is a renewed effort after a previous petition was denied in 2023. Similar battles in places like Bar Harbor, Maine, show the challenges and legal hurdles involved. Major cruise lines, heavily invested in Alaska, are expected to resist these changes, but the initiative has gained hope from recent agreements in Juneau to limit daily passenger numbers.