WASILLA MAYOR: Metiva, Rupright headed for runoff

WASILLA — And then there were two.

Wasilla voters don’t quite have a new mayor yet, and Marty Metiva and Verne Rupright are heading to a runoff, according to unofficial results from the city.

Metiva, a current city councilman, got 31.6 percent of the vote Tuesday (275 votes), which is slightly ahead of local attorney Rupright’s 28.3 percent (246). Overall, turnout for the city election was light, with less that 19 percent of the city’s 4.773 registered voters casting ballots.

Although there are still 171 votes left to count, including early ballots, absentee voters and questioned ballots, city statutes say to win a mayoral election, the winner must receive at least 40 percent of the vote. That means even if either Metiva or Rupright were to get votes on all of the remaining 171 ballots, neither would meet that threshold. The early and absentee ballots will be counted Friday.

The men now face a runoff election Oct. 28 to determine who will fill the city’s top administrative post.

Hearing the news Tuesday night, Metiva said he will stay on pace with how he’s been campaigning by talking to residents and getting his platform to the public. His slight lead over Rupright when polls closed could put him at an advantage in the runoff if voters cast similar ballots, he said.

“It makes me feel good,” Metiva said of the results.

He also trumped the efforts of his campaign volunteers.

“I’m really proud of these people who helped,” Metiva said.

Rupright was not immediately available for comment following the posted results.

In the five-man race for Wasilla mayor, homebuilder Greg Koskela earned 21.3 percent of votes Tuesday, followed by city councilman Steve Menard with 13.8 percent and real estate broker Michael Carson, who received 4.6 percent.

In other results, voters elected Leone Harris with 449 votes (58 percent) to Gretchen O’Barr’s 317 to Wasilla City Council Seat C. Nancy Hall appears to be in line as the next Seat D representative,  holding a 408-362 vote lead over Mary Kvalheim with the 171 ballots left to county on Friday. Ron Cox was unopposed for Seat A on the council and received 620 votes.

Check the Frontiersman Web site for updates to this story Wednesday.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.