Dividend, abortion rights may drive decision on constitutional convention

JUNEAU (AP) — Simmering public anger in Alaska over the Legislature’s failure to settle the state’s most radioactive issue — how big a check residents should receive from the state’s oil-wealth fund — is colliding with a once-a-decade opportunity for political activists: The chance for voters to call a convention to amend the state constitution.

The frustration over the long-festering Permanent Fund dividend question is providing a tailwind for groups seeking to change the constitution to address a range of hot-button topics, such as restricting abortion and altering the process for selecting...