The most expensive campaign in Alaska's 2012 primary election is over and with most of the vote in, and the Coastal Zone measure has gone down in flames only gathering one third of the popular vote.

Backers of the Coastal Zone Management measure say that they are not done fighting for the program, but with the huge bankroll that the oil and mining industry provided to defeat the measure, future efforts may very well mirror the current attempt. Industry provided over $1.5 million to defeat the Coastal Zone Program. Backers of the program could only muster a mere $200,000.

Anti-coastal zone management received very few donations to their cause, with only eight individuals donating to the vot no campaign. In conrast, backers of the measure donated in the hundreds, but the individuals didn’t have near as deep of pockets as the oil and mining industry brought to the fight. Any two of the top distrubutors against the measure far outshined the entire campaign budget of the pro measure campaign.

Anti-coastal zone backers said that the ballot measure was poorly written and much too complex. They also voiced their opinion that the measure would slow down or stop projects altogether. The ads shown on television featured red tape and warned of lawsuits if the program passed.

The previous Coastal Zone Management program that Alaska had in place was terminated last Legislative session, when the program sun-setted and legistators failed to revive it. Prior to that, the program was seriously gutted by the Murkowski administration during his time in office as governor.

Alaska has the longest coastline in the UNited States and is the only state that has no Coastal Zone Management program in place.