Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members on Tuesday certified the results of the Oct. 4 municipal election, which saw a voter turnout of about 18.21%, and swore in newly reelected assembly members.
Incumbents took home easy victories on both the assembly and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education.
Jesse Bjorkman was reelected to the District 3 – Nikiski seat after securing 59.2% of votes cast. Tyson Cox was reelected to the District 4 – Soldotna seat after receiving 63.7% of votes cast. Brent Johnson ran unopposed for reelection to the District 7 – Central seat.
The three assembly members were sworn in for three-year terms by Kenai Peninsula Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship at Tuesday’s meeting, during which Cox thanked constituents for reelecting him to the body.
“I would like to thank the constituents of District 4 for choosing me to represent them on the assembly for another three years,” Cox said. “I promise to continue to serve my district and borough by studying the information available, asking questions and voting in a manner that I believe to be in the best interest of the Kenai Peninsula residents.”
Virginia Morgan, who represents the eastern peninsula on the board of education, was reelected to her seat after receiving 70.8% of votes. Patti Truesdell won reelection to the board’s Kalifornsky seat with 69.1% of votes cast. Zen Kelly ran unopposed for reelection to the District 9 – South Peninsula seat.
Made official through Tuesday’s certification were the outcomes of borough ballot propositions. A $65.5 million school maintenance bond, a $16.5 million Central Emergency Services station bond and retention of nine single-member districts on the borough assembly and school board were all approved by borough voters.
A report generated by Blankenship shows that voter turnout varied widely throughout the borough precincts, ranging from 2.06% in Tyonek to 29.62% in Cooper Landing. Both precincts are by-mail precincts. The overall borough turnout of 18.21%, which includes questioned and absentee ballots, is considerably higher than last year’s turnout of 11.84%.
Soldotna City Council members voted Wednesday to certify the results of the city’s municipal election, through which voters reelected incumbent council members Lisa Parker and Dave Carey and approved the construction of a fieldhouse next to the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Tuesday’s assembly meeting can be streamed on the borough website at kpb.legistar.com.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
