Municipal elections across the Kenai Peninsula Borough are closed, and unofficial results are starting to roll in. As of an 8:58 p.m. Tuesday update, a majority of districts are reporting, showing close races across the peninsula.
Turnout so far is at 12.4% across the borough.
Assembly Nikiski Seat
In Nikiski, incumbent Peter Ribbens, who was appointed to the seat earlier this year, is leading by just five votes: he has 50.3%, or 367 votes. Challenger Adam Bertoldo currently has 49.7%, or 362 votes.
Assembly Homer Seat
With all districts reporting, former Borough Assembly Member Kelly Cooper leads with 57.4%, or 483 votes. Former Homer City Council Member Heath Smith has 42.5%, or 358 votes.
Assembly Sterling Seat
Incumbent Bill Elam has a huge lead in the race for the Sterling assembly seat, with 80%, or 336 votes. Nissa Savage has 20% of votes, or 85 of 421 votes cast.
Board of Education Nikiski Seat
Incumbent Jason Tauriainen currently leads with 57% of the vote for Nikiski’s board of education seat, with 418 votes out of 735 cast. Challenger Lyndsey Bertoldo has 43%, or 317 votes.
Board of Education Sterling Seat
In Sterling, Kelly Cizek has a major lead over incumbent Beverly Romanin, who was appointed to the position last October. Cizek currently holds 68% of the vote, while Romanin has 33%.
Board of Education Central Seat
In the school board’s central district, which includes Kasilof and Ninilchik, Board of Education President Debbie Cary is falling behind challenger Dianne MacRae, who currently has 52%, or 238 votes. Cary has just 48%, at 221 votes.
Kenai City Council
There are four candidates vying for two open seats on the Kenai City Council. With all Kenai districts reporting, incumbent Henry Knackstedt leads with 30%, or 318 votes. Incumbent Teea Winger is next with 24%. Phil Daniel trails Winger by just six votes. Glenese Pettey follows with 22% of the vote.
Soldotna City Council & Mayor
Incumbent Dan Nelson is ahead in the race for Seat D, with 69% to Garrett Dominick’s 31%. Mayor Paul Whitney and Councilmember Chera Wackler are running uncontested.
Seward City Council
In Seward, three candidates are running for two open seats on the city council. Incumbent Robert Barnwell currently leads the pack with 225 votes, or 47.1%. Julie Crites is following closely with 223 votes, 46.8%. Brad Snowden has 6%.
Seward Ballot Propositions
In Seward, unofficial results suggest another attempt to sell the city-run utility has failed, garnering just 46% in a vote that would have required 60% to pass. Another ballot proposition — to reduce that threshold to 50% — also failed, with just 39% yeses.
Homer City Council
Four candidates are running for two open seats on Homer City Council. Preliminary results have incumbent Rachel Lord in the lead with 36%, or 403 votes. Incumbent Caroline Venuti trails with 32%. Newcomer Joni Wise follows them with 25% of the vote. Dan Hasche has 6% of the vote, and the remaining 1% are write-in votes. There are still 367 absentee ballots to be verified, and 34 outstanding mail ballots.
Uncontested Races
Borough Mayor Peter Micciche is running unopposed for his first full term, after winning a special election in February. Ryan Tunseth is unopposed in his race for the borough assembly’s Kenai seat, after incumbent Richard Derkevorkian chose not to run for reelection. Incumbent Penny Vadla is the sole candidate for the Board of Education’s Soldotna seat.
What’s next
The borough will certify its elections on Tuesday, Oct. 10. The City of Kenai will certify its results on Oct. 19. The City of Homer will certify its results on Oct. 6, and the City of Seward will on Oct. 9.
