Politics

Few competitive races in rural communities’ local elections

KUAC | By Tim Ellis

Published October 2, 2023 at 3:25 PM AKDT

The incumbents of the two Delta Junction City Council seats up for election this year are guaranteed to win re-election, because there are no challengers. All three council seats that were up for re-election last year were contested, and the races drew nearly 20 percent of the city's eligible voters cast ballots — a relatively high turnout for a local election. — Incumbents occupying the two Delta Junction City Council seats up for election this year are guaranteed to win re-election, because there are no challengers. All three council seats that were up for re-election last year were contested, and the races drew nearly 20 percent of the city's eligible voters to the polls — a relatively high turnout for a local election.

Most City Council, school board candidates around eastern Interior are incumbents seeking re-election

Several candidates are running for city councils and school boards around the Eastern Interior in Tuesday’s municipal election. But only a few seats are being contested.

Seat E is the only contested race on the ballot in this year's Delta-Greely school board election.

Most of the local elections being held in smaller communities around the area feature incumbents seeking re-election. Like, for Delta Junction City Council.

“There’s only two running,” says Pat White, the Delta city clerk. “There’s no opposition,”

White said Councilmember Mike Prestegard is seeking re-election for a three-year term in Seat C, and longtime member Pete Hallgren is vying for Seat F. White says that means voter turnout will likely be lackluster this year -- unlike the 2022 election, when all three seats up for grabs were contested.

“Last year, we had some competition,” she said, “and it was 19 percent turnout.”

One of the three seats up for election on the Delta-Greely School District board is contested: newcomer Shaun Noling is challenging incumbent Eric Ruse for Seat E. Longtime board member Rich Mauer and newcomer Chris McCarrick both are uncontested for Seats F and G, respectively.

White predicts the few competitive ballot matchups likely will draw only half as many voters as last year.

One Nenana City Council seat and one school board seat drew challengers for the two incumbents seeking re-election.

“I expect 10 percent,” she said Friday.

Delta-area residents who live outside city limits may cast ballots for two uncontested seats on the Deltana Community Corporation board of directors. The quasi-governmental organization’s duties mainly involve disseminating state and federal grants.

A candidate for the third open seat on the DCC board didn’t file in time to get on the ballot, but it will have six advisory questions for voters to weigh-in on.

In Nenana, there’s one contested City Council race -- Seat B incumbent Kari Irish is challenging Seat A incumbent Sheryl Turner. And Jerald Sutton is running unopposed for the vacated Seat B.

There’s also a contested race for a Nenana school board seat -- Johanna Coghill is challenging board President Maryellen Robinson for Seat C. And Barbara Adams is unopposed for an advisory board seat.

Meanwhile, in the sprawling Alaska Gateway School District, headquartered in Tok, “it doesn’t look like any of our seats are being contested,” says school board Secretary Trinity James. She said Friday that Meranda Moran, from Mentasta, is seeking election to Seat G; and Shawn Champagne, from Tok, is vying for election to Seat D.