Nearly a month after the Nov. 5 general election, the State Division of Elections on Saturday certified the results. The final, certified numbers match those reported in unofficial results earlier last month.
The Kenai Peninsula will be represented in the State Legislature next year by reelected incumbents Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, and Reps. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna; Sarah Vance, R-Homer; and Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak. Newly joining the Legislature will be Rep. Bill Elam, R-Soldotna.
Those results match those published the night of the election, though both Bjorkman and Vance had to wait until ranked choice tabulation was completed on Nov. 20 to know for certain that they’d won their races. Although they led their opponents, neither had secured more than 50% in first-round choices.
In the certified results, Ballot Measure #1 — which raises the state’s minimum wage and requires paid sick leave for most employees — was supported by 57.98% of voters in a decisive result. Ballot Measure #2 — which would have repealed ranked choice voting and open primaries — was narrowly defeated by 737 votes, with 320,985 total cast.
An intent to recount the results for Ballot Measure #2 was announced by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom on Nov. 25. In a release from her office, she said that the margin fell close enough to allow that recount to be funded by the state. In that release, Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher said the division had readied for the recount and is “committed to meeting the 10-day recount completion deadline” that begins when the request is submitted.
Incumbent U.S. Representative Mary Peltola was defeated by challenger Nick Begich III.
Full results and details of ranked choice tabulation can be found at elections.alaska.gov.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
