The results of the Alaska Primary Election were certified on Sunday, though most local races didn’t change much in the weeks following election day, Aug. 20.
In the Senate D race, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman and Rep. Ben Carpenter, both Nikiski Republicans, added a couple hundred votes each between the night of the election and the certification of results. Bjorkman’s lead over Carpenter widened slightly, now a difference of 4% of ballots cast, up from 2.6%.
There were 2,924 votes cast in Bjorkman’s favor, for 44.30% of the vote, and 2,660 votes cast for Carpenter, at 40.30% of the vote.
Tina Wegener, a Sterling Democrat, got 845 votes and 12.80%, while Andy Cizek, running for the Alaska Independence Party, landed 172 votes and 2.61%. According to Alaska Division of Elections filings, Cizek has since withdrawn from the race.
Bill Elam and John Hillyer, who both are Republicans running for House District 8, were in a dead heat on election day and now are separated only by 54 votes. Hillyer has 1,652 votes and 50.83% of the share; Bill Elam secured 1,598 and 49.17%.
Another race that didn’t shift much from the preliminary results was House District 7. Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, now has 1,630 votes and 59.69% of the share over former Rep. Ron Gillham, R-Kenai, who has 1,101 votes and 40.31%.
House District 6, representing the southern Kenai Peninsula, shows Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, holding 1,998 votes and 43.23% of the vote.
Brent Johnson, current Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly president running nonpartisan, has 1,569 votes and 33.95%.
Alana Greear, a Kachemak-Selo School teacher also running nonpartisan, has 790 votes and 17.09%, but on Monday she dropped out of the race and endorsed Johnson. Johnson and Greear’s vote totals combined equal more than 50%.
Dawson Slaughter, an Anchor Point Republican, captured 265 votes, good for 5.73%.
Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, widened her considerable lead over Seward Libertarian Leighton Radner, now claiming more than 80% of the vote total with 1,566 ballots cast for her to Radner’s 381.
Full, certified results can be found at elections.alaska.gov.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
