Marijuana initiatives and tax increases highlighted local elections across Southeast Alaska this month. The first Tuesday of October is Election Day for most of Southeast Alaska’s communities, with local officials on the ballot from Angoon to Wrangell.
Angoon
For city Council seat A, Edward Jack had 76 votes, Gail Tharpe-Luceo 36, Ida May Jack 30, Forrest D. Braley Sr. 5 and David Merculief 4.
For City Council Seat B, Albert H. Howard had 55 votes, Maxine L. Thompson had 52, Reanna Kookesh Booth 35 and Cynthia Ann Frank, better known as “Hinny,” had 17. Because the top two vote-getters were so close, there will be a runoff on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Angoon is part of the Chatham School District, which also includes Tenakee Springs, Gustavus and Klukwan. It does have an advisory school board. Marcie Kookesh was elected unopposed for Seat A. For Seat B, Chenera Johnson received 26 votes, the most among write-ins. For Seat C, Jeannette Kookesh received 24 votes, the most among the write-ins. For Seat D, Jared Williams had 103 votes and won unopposed. For Seat E, Crystal Parkin had 27 votes, the most among the write-ins.
Coffman Cove
Exactly 100 ballots were cast in Coffman Cove’s municipal election.
For City Council Seat F, Perry Olson (51 votes) was elected over Mike Underwood (46). In Council Seat G, Bridget Wright was elected unopposed with 78 votes.
There were three ballot measures to prohibit commercial marijuana, and all three passed. Proposition No. 1 (passed 52-47) bans marijuana cultivation facilities, Proposition No. 2 (passed 53-46) bans marijuana stores, and Proposition No. 3 (passed 55-44) bans marijuana product manufacturing.
Craig
Jan Trojan (105 votes) and Greg Dahl (103) were elected unopposed to the two three-year city council seats available in the election. Similarly, Chrissy Torsey-Lucero (105 votes) and Scott Brookshire (101) were elected to the two three-year school board seats. Jennifer Creighton (115 votes) won the two-year school board seat. All candidates were unopposed.
Gustavus
On Election Day, 119 votes were cast in the all-write-in election. Jacob Ohlson, with 37 votes, was elected to seat B of the city council. Ohlson also received the most write-in votes for seat A, meaning the position will be offered to the next-highest vote-getter, Tobin Ortega. If he declines, Sara Doyle, the third-place candidate, will be offered the position.
Haines
Heather Lende (501 votes) and Tom Morphet (436) were voted into three-year borough assembly seats amid a crowded race. They defeated Diana Lapham (370), Ryan Cook (305), Judy Erekson (241), and Leonard Dubber (150).
Turnout was 1,031 of 2,283 registered voters, or 45 percent (the 2015 election had 38 percent turnout).
Lisa Schwartz and Sarah Swinton were re-elected unopposed to three-year terms on the school board.
Hoonah
Amelia Wilson was elected unopposed to a three-year term on the city council with 201 votes. Shawn McConnell (161 votes) defeated Lori Fanning (69) for a two-year term on the city council. Stan Savland ran unopposed for a one-year term on the council.
For school board, Heidi Jewell (85 votes) and Jaime Erickson (84) won three-year terms.
Hoonah will hold a runoff election on Thursday, Oct. 20 for the open three-year seat on the city liquor board. Eighty-four write-in votes were cast on Election Day for that seat, but no candidate met the qualifications for election.
In total, 232 valid ballots were cast in the election.
Hydaburg
Toni Bitonti was elected to City Council Seat 5 with 70.83 percent of votes cast. For seat No. 6, no candidate received enough votes to win outright, so a runoff election will be held Oct. 24 between Christopher Williams, Bonnie Morris and Sam Mooney.
For school board seat No. 5, Bonnie Morris was elected with 45.36 percent of the vote, beating Tanya Bitonti and Dorinda Sanderson. For seat No. 4 on the school board, a runoff election will be held between Jean Bland and Sandra Peele. Toni Bitonti, the No. 2 vote-getter in that race, was elected to city council.
There were two propositions on the Hydaburg ballot. The first asked if municipal candidates should be exempted from the state’s financial disclosure law. That failed 31-58 on Election Day. The second proposition asked if Hydaburg should be renamed to the City of Haidaburg. That measure failed 26-70.
Juneau
In Southeast’s largest city, Mary Becker was re-elected to the Assembly seat representing District 1. Beth Weldon was elected unopposed to represent District 2, and Norton Gregory defeated incumbent Kate Troll for the areawide seat.
On the school board, Dan DeBartolo (3,679 votes) and Steve Whitney (3,323 votes) were elected to three-year terms, defeating Jason Hart (2,444 votes) and Kevin Allen (2,217 votes).
Voter turnout was 33.5 percent of the 25,100 registered voters in Juneau.
Three propositions were also on the ballot. Voters approved a new 3 percent marijuana tax (7,168 yes votes to 1,115 no votes) and renewed the city’s 3 percent temporary sales tax (6,339-1,967) but turned down a proposal to make that tax permanent (2,781-5,486).
Kake
Scott Jackson (84 votes) and Marla Howard (76) were elected unopposed to two three-year terms on the city council. For school board, Michele Friday (88 votes) and Rudy Bean (59) were elected to three-year terms.
Voters approved the one ballot measure, which calls for increasing the city’s 5 percent sales tax on cigarettes and alcohol to 8 percent.
Ketchikan
David Landis was re-elected unopposed as borough mayor, and voters approved a $2 per-pack tax on cigarettes. Proposition No. 1 establishes an excise tax on tobacco, with 85 percent of the proceeds going toward schools and the remaining 15 percent funding smoking-cessation programs. The tax passed narrowly, 1,400 to 1,327.
Voters also approved the extension of a half-percent special sales tax for school construction. That tax will now expire in 2027 instead of 2022. The vote was 1,803 to 913.
On the borough assembly, Alan Bailey and Bill Rotecki termed out, leaving two vacancies. Five candidates vied for those three-year terms. Judith McQuerry (1,143 votes) and Rodney Dial (1,057) defeated Susan Pickrell (939), David Timmerman (931), and Keith Smith (801)
On the school board, where two three-year terms were available, Trevor Shaw (1,522 votes) and Kim Hodne (1,078) defeated Conan Matthew Steele (818) and write-in candidate Kevin Johnson (674).
On the Ketchikan city council, two three-year terms were up for election. Judy Zenge (892) and Julie Isom (783) defeated Spencer Strassburg (565).
Turnout at the polls was 2,762 of 10,286 registered voters (27 percent).
Klawock
Lawrence Armour was elected Mayor of Klawock, earning 148 votes and defeating Don J. Nickerson Jr. (84), Dewey Skan Jr. (13) and Robert W. George (8).
Patricia M. Cottle (Smith) and Helen Jackson were elected to the two available three-year city council seats. Cottle received 146 votes and Jackson 139 votes. Runner-up Richard A. Smith Sr. had 67 votes and Carl Benston had 60.
Mary Edenshaw and Ruby (Langmaid) Smith were elected to three-year seats on the school board. Edenshaw was the top vote-getter with 181 votes, Smith followed with 142, and Leslie W. Isaacs had 100 votes.
Pelican
Walt Weller was elected unopposed to a three-year term as Pelican’s mayor. On the city council, Michael Allard and Chuck Keizer were elected unopposed to three-year terms and Anthony “T.J.” Hieber was elected to serve until the next election.
On the school board, Linda Allard was elected to a two-year term for Seat No. 3, and Kelly Chapman was elected to a three-year term for Seat No. 5.
Petersburg
Petersburg voters decided to allow marijuana businesses in their borough, voting 705-419 in favor of keeping them legal.
There was just one contested race as three people sought two seats on the borough assembly. Commercial fisherman Kurt Wohlhueter and mental health counselor Jeigh Stanton Gregor were re-elected. Wohlhueter had 734 votes, Stanton Gregor had 674. Commercial fisherman Marc Martinsen received 450 votes.
Mark Jensen was elected unopposed to be mayor. Sandra Stevens and Mara Lutomski were elected unopposed to the school board. Darlene Whitethorn was elected to a two-year term on the Hospital board unopposed.
Otis Marsh and Yancy Nilsen were elected unopposed to three-year terms on the planning commission. Tor Benson was elected unopposed to a one-year term on the commission. Bobby Doland and Glenn W. Reid Jr. were elected unopposed to the harbors and ports board. Barb Fish and Alec McMurren were elected unopposed to the library board. Jerod Cook and Devren Bennett were elected unopposed to three-year terms on the public safety advisory board.
Port Alexander
In Port Alexander, 25 voters cast write-in ballots for the seven city council seats available. All seven members of the council — Bud Durdle, Cory Gifford, Debra Rose Gifford, James Lange, Ryan Martin, Ryan Mulligan and Tommy Corso — were re-elected.
Sitka
Voters resoundingly defeated a proposal to increase Sitka’s property tax from 6 mills to 8 mills. The proposal failed with 65.7 percent of voters choosing ‘no.’
For a two-year mayoral term, Matthew Hunter (1,396 votes) defeated Mary Magnuson (805) and Benjamen Miyasato (486).
On the borough assembly, where two two-year seats were available, Kevin Knox (1,315 votes) and Aaron Bean (1,058) defeated Aaron Swanson (919), Alexander Allison (838) and Evy Kinnear (762).
There was one three-year term available on the school board, and Jennifer McNichol (1,748 votes) defeated Ed Gray (843) in that race.
Skagway
Voters in Skagway narrowly approved an initiative allowing the borough to issue $6 million in bonds to build a senior center and senior apartments. It passed, 228 to 223. Election-night returns showed the measure failing, but the result changed after absentee votes were tallied.
Two three-year terms on the borough assembly were also on the ballot. Orion Hanson (259 votes) and Timothy Cochran (252 votes) defeated David Brena (181 votes) and all write-in candidates (124 votes). Spencer Morgan had launched a write-in campaign late.
For school board, there was one three-year seat and one two-year seat.
Jaime Bricker (375 votes) and Darren Belisle (280) were elected, defeating Mark Joseph Smith (140).
Tenakee Springs
With three city council seats available, Stephen W. Lewis, Carlene Allred and Linda J. Sorenson (better known as Lena) each received 41 votes and were elected to office. Ashley Hartzell also ran and received 12 votes. There are two three-year seats and one one-year seat on the city council. Since all three candidates tied, they will draw straws for the one-year seat.
Thorne Bay
For City Council Seat A, Raymond Slayton (85 votes) defeated L. Bruce Tower (56). For Seat B, Rita Carlson (88 votes) defeated Thom Cunningham (49).
Proposition No. 1, which asked to repeal the city’s fees for fire-department and ambulance service, failed with 68 ‘no’ votes and 64 ‘yes’ votes.
A total of 148 votes were cast overall.
Wrangell
For borough mayor, David Jack defeated Kipha Valvoda, 373 votes to 56.
Julie Decker and Patty Gilbert were elected unopposed to 3-year terms on the Assembly. John Yeager and Garry Morrison were elected unopposed to the port commission.
Georgianna Buhler (248 votes) and Rinda Howell (209 votes) were elected to 3-year terms on the school board over Robert Rang (188) and Scott W. Seddon (156).
Marlene Messmer (207 votes) was elected to a four-year term on the hospital board instead of Barbara Conine (202).
Patrick Mayer and Olinda White were elected unopposed to two-year terms on the hospital board.
Proposition No. 1, calling for the dissolution of the Noman Museum and Civic Center board of directors, passed in a 376-57 vote.
Of Wrangell’s 1,685 registered voters, 456 cast ballots, a turnout of 27 percent.
Regional school boards
Southeast Alaska also has three regional school boards that cover multiple communities. Elections for these school boards are conducted by the Alaska Division of Elections.
From Naukati, Heidi Young was re-elected unopposed to a three-year term on the Southeast Island School District board. That district includes schools across Prince of Wales, Port Alexander and in Hyder, when those schools operate.
From Gustavus, Elizabeth Hooge was re-elected unopposed to a three-year term on the Chatham School District board. James Wagner was re-elected unopposed to a two-year term on that board.
From Tenakee Springs, Ziel Frances was re-elected to a two-year term on the Chatham board.
That school district includes schools in Klukwan, Gustavus, Tenakee and Angoon.
For the Annette Island School District, which covers Metlakatla, Bruce Janes was re-elected unopposed to a three-year term. In the other seat, Deanna Nelson (70 votes) defeated Jamie Chinuhuk (41) and H.B. Tyler (26) for a three-year term. Chinuhuk was the incumbent.
Other municipalities
Yakutat’s municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 18, and Metlakatla’s will take place concurrent with the federal election in November. Hyder, an unincorporated community, will hold elections for its community association board of directors in February. Officials at Kasaan and Edna Bay could not be reached by deadline.
