KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Unofficial results are starting to take shape in Kodiak’s municipal elections that were held Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Three candidates were running for two seats on Kodiak’s City Council; current council member John Whiddon will retain his seat on the council, according to the early vote tally. As of Wednesday afternoon, 331 votes had been cast for Whiddon. But the race is too close to call between incumbent council member Charlie Davidson and candidate Bruce Schactler – with Davidson ahead by just 23 votes.
Kodiak’s city clerk said the city is still waiting on up to 26 ballots that were either cast absentee by mail, questioned or special needs ballots. City officials say they’ll know the final tally next week when they canvass. The results will be certified on Thursday, Oct. 13. New council members will take office on Monday, Oct. 17.
And the makeup of the next Kodiak Island Borough Assembly will come down to votes from the island’s villages. The borough is also still waiting for up to 839 absentee by mail, questioned or special needs ballots that could come in, based on the number of registered voters – 740 of those are from Kodiak’s villages, based on voter registration, and were cast absentee by mail.
As of Wednesday afternoon, former school superintendent Larry LeDoux had a 300 vote lead in the race for one of two seats for a three-year term on the Assembly. Incumbents Jared Griffin and Scott Arndt were the next two vote getters with about 20 votes separating them.
In the other contested race, incumbent Joe Delgado is currently ahead of Cort Neff for a one-year seat on the Borough Assembly by less than 10 votes.
Aimee Williams was also elected as Kodiak’s new borough mayor. She is currently a borough assembly member, and was running unopposed.
Borough officials will know the final vote next week and also certify the results on Thursday, Oct. 20. New officers will be sworn in the following Monday, Oct. 24.
This is a developing story.
