Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington will stay in office after voters rejected his recall during a special election held early this week.
The recall was defeated 222 to 176, according to unofficial election results released early Friday afternoon.
The tally includes 202 early, absentee and special needs ballots and 196 votes cast on Tuesday. About 8% of the city’s registered voters participated in the election.
“This is what I had hoped for. I think that common sense is still the majority in Palmer, and I think the voters are reflecting that,” Carrington said in an interview Friday following the results update.
Officials with a “Recall Steve Carrington” special-interest group thanked voters for their participation.
“I want to say thank you so much for everyone who voted,” said Jackie Goforth, the group’s chairperson. “The citizens of Palmer have made the decision. That’s how democracy works — it’s perfectly fine.”
Preliminary results released after polls closed Tuesday showed recall supporters winning by a narrow margin of 99 to 97. That count did not include early or absentee ballots.
Election results will be certified during a regular Palmer City Council meeting scheduled for next week.
Proponents of the recall alleged that Carrington is guilty of official misconduct because he overstepped his authority when he hired an outside attorney last year without first obtaining City Council approval.
Carrington said he authorized the agreement due to “legal uncertainties” surrounding accusations against former Palmer City Manager Stephen Jellie, according to a statement included on the special election ballots.
Carrington will remain in office until the city’s regular election in October. He does not plan to run for reelection, he said.
Alaska state law prohibits filing a new application to recall Carrington for six months.
A complaint filed by Goforth with the Alaska Public Offices Commission on May 7 alleges that a ballot proposition group registered as NO Recall for Palmer MayorSteve.com and chaired by Carrington failed to properly disclose financial contributors on campaign signage.
The commission denied a request for an expedited hearing during a virtual special meeting on the matter Tuesday afternoon. A non-expedited hearing will be scheduled for a later date, officials said during that meeting.
