Early voting opened Monday for the Nov. 5 general election. Early voting will be available through Election Day at polling places in Kenai and Soldotna and through Nov. 4 in Homer.
Voters will cast ballots in the races for U.S. president and U.S. representative, as well as decide on two ballot measures.
Listed on ballots for the presidential race are Republican nominees Donald Trump and JD Vance, Democratic nominees Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and six other tickets.
Incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, is challenged by Republican Nick Begich, Alaska Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe, and Democrat Eric Hafner.
Also on the ballot are local races for Alaska House and Senate.
Senate District D represents the northern Kenai Peninsula including Kenai, Soldotna and Nikiski. Incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, is contending with challenger Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski — who is not running for reelection to his current seat in the House of Representatives — as well as Tina Wegener.
House District 7 represents Kenai and Soldotna. Incumbent Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, is challenged by former Rep. Ron Gillham, R-Soldotna.
House District 8 represents Nikiski, Sterling and Cooper Landing. There is no incumbent running because Carpenter is running for a different seat. Bill Elam, currently on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, and John Hillyer, a retired Air Force pilot, are vying for the seat.
House District 6 represents the southern Kenai Peninsula including Homer, Anchor Point and Kasilof. Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, is the incumbent. Other candidates include Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly President Brent Johnson and Dawson Slaughter, an Anchor Point Republican and president of the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce.
House District 5 includes Seward and other communities not on the Kenai Peninsula like Kodiak and Cordova. Seward resident Leighton Radner, a registered member of the Libertarian party, is running against incumbent Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak.
The first ballot measure describes an initiative to increase the state’s minimum wage over three years before tying it to inflation. The measure would also require paid sick leave for many employees and prohibit employers from requiring employees attend meetings about politics or religious issues.
The second ballot measure would repeal both open primary elections and ranked choice general elections as approved by voters in 2020. The top four open primary would no longer be used, rather parties “will chose who many run and who may vote” in primaries. The measure also makes changes to the process used to fill vacancies in office.
In both cases, a vote of “yes” would support seeing the changes implemented.
In Kenai, early voting is available at the Region V Elections Office at 11312 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 48. That’s in the Old Carrs Mall near the Alaska Job Center. Ballots can be cast from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. On Election Day, ballots can be cast from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Soldotna Prep School at 426 West Redoubt Avenue will host early voting Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Election Day, ballots can be cast from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Homer City Clerk’s Office at 491 East Pioneer Avenue is an early voting location. Ballots can be cast from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until Nov. 4, except for Oct. 28, when the office will close at 3 p.m.
All the Kenai Peninsula early voting locations have ballots available for House Districts 5-8 and 37.
More information about all locations can be found at elections.alaska.gov/avo. More information about candidates and ballot measures can be found at elections.alaska.gov. The Clarion and KBBI 890 AM will host a final candidate forum with District 6 candidates Rep. Sarah Vance, Brent Johnson and Dawson Slaughter on Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Homer Public Library.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
