Tuesday was Ketchikan’s municipal election, and preliminary results are in. Polls were open most of the day, although some people voted early.
Residents in city limits voted in both the city and borough election. For the borough, the unofficial ballot count was 2,048 ballots. The city tallied 1,040 ballots. Voter turnout was 21% and 19%, respectively, and includes absentee, special needs and questioned ballots.
Voters were asked about two ballot measures, one in the borough and one in the city election. Borough voters were asked if they’d like the borough to take over library powers from the city, which would transfer all library operational responsibility and debt to the borough immediately. That failed by a difference of 204 votes.
On the city ballot, voters were queried about spending powers for electric utility upgrades. That initiative, which passed by a difference of 514 votes, will authorize the city to use up to $25 million in bonding authority for these upgrades.
There were three three-year seats up for grabs on Ketchikan’s borough assembly, and four candidates were running. All three incumbents were reelected, beating out newcomer Tim Montgomery. Dan Ortiz received 1,230 votes, Kathy Bolling got 1,260 votes and Sharli Arntzen 1,130 votes.
Ketchikan’s school board will see two new members: Frances Klein and Marissa Medford. Klein received 1,051 votes, and Medford received 979 votes. They beat out Vicki OBrien and Rob Holston, and will serve three-year seats on that body.
Ketchikan’s city council will also see a new member. Newcomer Spencer Strassburg received 401 more votes than former city councilmember Jai Mahtani. Strassburg will serve a one year seat on the council.
There were also three three-year seats up for grabs on the council, and seven people ran for those seats. Incumbents Judy Zenge, Jack Finnegan and Riley Gass were reelected, receiving 550, 522, and 484 votes respectively. They beat out Tommy Haugum, Ashley Snyder, and Michael Fitzgerald. They also won over Sven Westergard, who dropped out of the election after the deadline to withdraw.
Election results will be finalized on October 20.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
