The candidate filing period for Kenai Peninsula Borough residents planning to run for local office this October opened Tuesday, Aug. 1.
With a little over two months to go until the Oct. 3 municipal election, aspiring candidates will have until Aug. 15 to file their candidacy for seats on the Soldotna and Kenai city councils, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, the Kenai Peninsula Borough and various service area boards.
In Soldotna, voters will cast ballots in two city council races and for a mayoral candidate.
All three seats open in the City of Soldotna this election cycle are for full three-year terms. Those interested in running for office in Soldotna must be a citizen of the United States, a qualified voter of the City of Soldotna and have been a resident of the City of Soldotna for at least one year preceding the date of their declaration of candidacy.
In Kenai, voters will cast ballots in two city council races.
Whoever is elected will serve a full three-year term on the council. Those interested in running for a seat on the Kenai City Council must be at least 21 years old, be a qualified voter of the City of Kenai and have lived in the city for at least one year at the time of their election.
Candidates for office in the city of Kenai must also submit with their statement of candidacy and financial disclosure statement a nomination petition that contains at least 20 signatures of registered City of Kenai voters.
On the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, four assembly seats will appear on this year’s municipal ballot: District 2-Kenai; District 5-Sterling/Funny River; District 8-Homer; and District 3-Nikiski.
On the KPBSD Board of Education, borough voters will cast ballots in four races this fall: District 7-Kasilof/Central; District 4-Soldotna; District 3-Nikiski; and District 5-Sterling/Funny River.
A candidate for the borough assembly or for school board must be a qualified Alaska voter and have been a resident of the district they want to serve for at least a year.
Voters around the peninsula will also cast their votes for a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor. Borough code requires borough mayors to be elected with a majority of votes cast; if no candidate receives more than 50% of votes cast, the race advances to a runoff election between the two highest vote-getters.
A mayoral runoff election, if needed after Oct. 3, would be held on Oct. 24, according to the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
More information about local elections can be found on municipalities’ respective websites.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
