The ballot is packed for Seward’s municipal election, held in conjunction with borough-wide elections on Oct. 7, with three candidates running for the mayor’s seat and six for Seward City Council.
Incumbent Mayor Sue McClure and current council members Kevin Finch and Randy Wells are all running for reelection.
Mayor’s race
McClure was first elected Seward mayor in 2022. She also previously served for seven years on the Seward City Council and six years on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly.
She wrote in her candidate statement that she’s spent the last three years as mayor answering every call to City Hall and helping people with local issues.
“My commitment to the job is very serious and thorough. I have no personal agenda, only to do what is good for Seward,” she wrote. “My goal is to listen to everyone and to facilitate decision making in a positive way. We need to plan for and to move forward toward the future of Seward, while always respecting its history.”
Challenging McClure are Seward residents Tim McDonald and Leighton Radner.
McDonald is a lifelong Seward resident with commercial experience in tugboat and barge operations. His elected experience includes being on the Seward Planning and Zoning Commission and representing Seward as a board member of the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association. If elected, he wrote in his candidate statement that he hopes to bring Seward’s economy and municipal systems, such as solid waste, black water waste and energy production and security, into the 21st century.
“We are a divided community with half our citizens living outside city limits and unable to vote in city elections,” he wrote. “A solution for fair representation of our disenfranchised citizens needs to be found; they go to our schools, shop at our stores and pay taxes the same as we do yet without a legal voice.”
Radner is a board member for the Libertarian Party of Alaska and last year ran for the Alaska House District 5 seat against current Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak. He wrote in his candidate statement that he is bringing “the same principles, dedication, and strengths” from his state legislature campaign and, as a younger candidate, aims to “bring fresh ideas and a new perspective” to Seward’s local government.
“If elected Mayor, I will work to ensure Seward remains a wise investment for all who live here,” he wrote. “It’s no secret I believe our local government has grown too large — and our budget has grown with it. This trend must be acknowledged and corrected to protect the long-term health and identity of our city.”
City council race
Finch, incumbent council candidate, was first elected in 2022. A 32-year resident and local business owner, he is seeking reelection “to try to bring balance for Seward residents year-round.”
Wells first joined the Seward council in 2021 and, according to his candidate statement, has spent the last four years partnering with Seward residents, council and administration to address housing challenges and “working towards a stronger, more sustainable future.”
“I’m running for re-election to keep this momentum going,” he wrote. “I’m committed to modernizing outdated zoning regulations to unlock new housing opportunities and to help build a more robust, year-round economy, something Seward truly deserves.”
New city council candidates include Michael B. Calhoon, Lori Draper, Samantha LePera and James Michael Taylor.
Calhoon previously served on the council from 2000-2002 and 2021-2024. He also served on Seward’s planning and zoning commission and is on the board of directors for American Legion Post 5. He wrote in his candidate statement that he’s running for council to help Seward’s private and business sectors grow.
“I believe my record on the council over the years has shown me to be fiscally responsible with the goal of developing a strong and sustainable year-round economy,” he wrote. “Seward is a great town to live in and I believe it can get even better with continued emphasis on responsible and affordable development of single-family housing and year-round business.”
Draper previously served on the Bear Creek Fire Service Area Board of Directors and has held multiple offices in the Seward Rotary Club, Seward Chamber of Commerce and Seward General Hospital board of directors. A 48-year resident of Seward, she wrote that she’s running for city council because she cares deeply about the community and wants it to be a place where her grandchildren can have opportunities to build fulfilling lives.
“Our community faces serious challenges, including a public education crisis, a shortage of affordable housing, and uncertainty about the future of our electric utility. These issues require innovative, transparent decision-making that welcomes community input, relies on expert advice, and learns from other communities that have successfully navigated similar challenges,” she wrote. “I am committed to listening, collaborating, and working hard for Seward’s future.”
LePera moved to Seward as a young adult in 2016 and is finishing up a finance degree. Now that she’s been a resident for nearly a decade, she wrote, she wants to give back and “continue making Seward a place that 22-year-old me would be proud of and welcome to call home.”
“I want to continue building on the legacy this town already has. That being a place where families can move and thrive, businesses can grow, and neighbors can depend on each other,” she wrote. “I want to strengthen local infrastructure, support small business development, and make sure our town continues to be a safe place for residents and visitors alike.”
Taylor has been a resident since 1994 and over the years has seen the city change.
“Over the years, I’ve learned that in a small town, politics is never just about policies — it’s about people, personalities, and the trust we place in those who represent us,” he wrote in his candidate statement. “It is with this understanding that I have decided to run for City Council. I believe I can make a difference — not by pushing my own agenda, but by listening to the people of Seward and carrying their voices into the room where decisions are made.”
Learn more about the local Seward government and find the candidate statements in full at cityofseward.us.
A candidate forum for the Seward mayoral race will be held on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6-7 p.m. at the Seward Community Library. The Seward City Council candidate forum will be held at the library on Monday, Sept. 29, from 5-6 p.m. The forums are hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM, in partnership with the Central Kenai Peninsula League of Women Voters, KBBI AM 890, Homer News, The Seward Folly and KSRM 920 AM/92.5 FM. Questions for this year’s candidates can be submitted in advance by community members to info@kdll.org.
