Preliminary borough election results favor new local election date, reveal new assembly members

Unofficial election results reveal the newest additions to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly following the borough election on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Two of the five seats on the ballot were uncontested races, with only one candidate having filed for each seat. The other three races each had three candidates. While most of the newly-elected assembly members will serve the typical three-year term, candidates elected to the Kalifornsky and Sterling seats will serve partial terms, due to the resignation of one former assembly member and the other having been temporarily appointed to their seat earlier this year.

The borough election results also show voters’ initial stances on five ballot propositions placed before them this year.

The unofficial borough results do not include numbers from absentee, special needs and question ballots received by the borough up to Election Day. The borough canvass board began reviewing those tallies on Wednesday, Oct. 8, following the election, and will continue to meet in public session as needed in the borough clerk’s office through the certification deadline on Oct. 14.

Ballot propositions

Four of the five ballot propositions were voted on by all borough residents. Proposition 1 asked voters to decide whether all ballots cast in person on Election Day should be counted manually and the use of electronic voting tabulators should be eliminated.

Preliminary results show Proposition 1 failing before voters — 3,780 voted against, compared to 3,410 in favor.

Proposition 2, which asked select voters whether the borough should establish a Ninilchik Recreational Service Area to levy property taxes to support the community’s pool and other opportunities, was voted on by residents in the proposed service area. That proposition also currently appears to have failed, with 267 voting against and 116 in favor.

Proposition 3, which asked if the borough property tax exemption should be increased from $50,000 to $75,000, passed with an overwhelming 5,727 votes in favor and 1,513 voting against.

Proposition 4 asked if the borough sales tax cap should be adjusted for inflation once every five years. Voters appear opposed to the proposition, with 3,905 voting against, compared to 2,954 in favor.

Proposition 5 asked voters to decide whether the current borough election date, set in October, should be changed to align with the State of Alaska election date set in November. Preliminary results anticipate this change will be enacted, with 4,636 voters in favor of the shift and 2,561 opposed.

District 1, Kalifornsky

Former District 1 representative James Baisden announced his resignation from the assembly earlier this year. Preliminary election results show Scott Griebel solidly in the lead, with 335 votes. Candidate Joan Corr received 152 and Teresa Mullican had 98.

Including seven write-ins, there were 592 in-person votes cast in the Kalifornsky race.

In a statement emailed to Homer News Wednesday morning, Griebel said that he was grateful to all who turned out across the borough, to represent their views and to have voices heard.

“To all of the candidates, regardless of outcome, we continue to remain as neighbors. It is my goal to represent all as well as I am able,” he wrote.

“I am excited to fold this role into my other working and life duties. I look forward to joining with both the remaining and newly elected board members in ethically conducting the legislative business of the Borough, in a manner that best supports our community and it’s residents.”

Griebel will serve on the assembly until October 2027.

Corr and Mullican did not respond to requests for comment as of press time Wednesday.

District 3, Nikiski

Len Niesen was the only candidate for the District 3 assembly race. She received 523 votes.

She said in an email to Homer News Wednesday that she appreciated all those who voted on Election Day, and that she wanted them to know she doesn’t take their vote lightly.

“I’ll do the job to the best of my ability and try to represent my community well,” she wrote.

Niesen will serve on the assembly until October 2028.

District 4, Soldotna

Former District 4 representative Tyson Cox was ineligible to run for reelection as he had reached his term limit.

Preliminary results show Sergeant Truesdell as the new District 4 representative, with 405 votes. Nick Conner had 106, and Mitch Michaud had 83.

In a statement emailed to Homer News Wednesday morning, Truesdell said he was “honored grateful” to have been elected, and offered congratulations to the other newly elected representatives.

“The work starts now, and I’m ready to get started,” he wrote. “A huge thank you to all my supporters. Running was an incredible experience, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to be the voice for Soldotna on the assembly. It is a big responsibility and I do not take it lightly.”

Conner congratulated Truesdell in his own statement sent Wednesday and said that he would continue to show up for and pay attention to assembly meetings.

“Elections end, but public service doesn’t. Let’s keep working toward a borough government that earns people’s trust and uses their tax dollars wisely,” he wrote.

District 5, Sterling

Incumbent Leslie Morton was appointed to the District 5 seat in February and ran for reelection for the remaining year of her term. Preliminary election results show that Morton, who received 193 votes, was unseated by challenger Dale Eicher. Eicher received 544 votes and will serve the remaining term period until October 2026.

Sadie Friedman received 41 votes.

In an email sent to Homer News Wednesday morning, Morton said that she was “disappointed but not surprised” by the District 5 results. She also noted she was relieved that, according to the unofficial results, it appeared Proposition 1 would not pass.

Eicher wrote Wednesday that he was honored to receive voters’ support.

“Thank you to every single person who voted, volunteered, donated, prayed, waved signs, or simply encouraged me along the way,” he said. “Now let’s get to work.”

District 7, Central

Michael Hicks was the only candidate for the District 7 assembly race. He received 643 votes and will serve until October 2028.

With 55 write-ins, there were 698 total votes cast in-person for the District 7 race.

Hicks did not respond to a request for comment as of press time Wednesday.

The KPB canvass board will certify the borough election results on Tuesday, Oct. 14, after counting all absentee, special needs and question ballots.

Find the latest election results in full www.kpb.us/local-governance-and-permitting/voting-elections/latest-election-results.