KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The Alaska Division of elections dug into a portion of the outstanding votes in last week’s general election on Wednesday. KMXT’s Erik Wander reports that while most, but not all, of District 36 was counted, one candidate is confident that he’s going to Juneau.
With a 414-vote lead and only 290 ballots remaining to be counted, Republican Alan Austerman said Thursday he is ready to declare victory in his race with Democrat Andy Lundquist to be the District 36 Representative in the Alaska State House.
— (Austerman 1 13 sec "Yes, I guess I am … very slim possibility for him.")
Austerman said he is pleased with how the election played out, and gratified to have won the seat he held for six years, from 1995 to 2001.
— (Austerman 2 20 sec "I thought the race was well done … the best I can for them."
Austerman said he was not surprised the election was as close as it turned out to be.
— (Austerman 3 35 sec "No, not really … Hopefully, they’ll appreciate it.")
Of a total of 5,624 ballots counted so far, Austerman received 3,019 votes to Lundquist’s 2,605, a margin of 54 to 46 percent.
I’m Erik Wander.
HOST TAG/WRAP: Lundquist, reached late Wednesday, said that while the numbers don’t look favorable, he’s not ready to concede just yet.
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