Local elections upcoming

MAT-SU — While there are no state or national elections occurring this fall, local elections will be held in all three cities and for Mat-Su Borough School Board and Assembly seats as well as a Borough Mayoral election. Palmer, Houston and Wasilla will all hold elections on Oct. 5. Election Day for the Borough races will be on Nov. 2.

Houston has three seats open with eight candidates running in total. Ron Bass, Cole Carter and Shanie Heger are all running for seat C on the Houston council. Mike Adams and David Johnson are running against incumbent Gina Jorgenson for Seat G, and Tony Kuse is running against incumbent Lance Wilson for Seat D. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be elected by members of the council at a special meeting on the first MOnday following certification of the election.

Wasilla also has elections on Oct. 5 for two available seats. Incumbent Jordan Rausa will run against Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives. Former Deputy Mayor Stu Graham will run against Dajonee Hale for Council seat B.

Palmer has four candidates running for two available seats, and the top two vote getters will be elected. Current council members Steve Carrington and Julie Berberich are running against Lee Henrikson and Pamela Melin.

Early voting for city elections begins Monday, Sept. 20.

Election Day for the seats on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, School Board and Mayor’s office will be held on Nov. 2. Candidates for Borough Mayor include former Borough Deputy Mayor Matthew Beck, former Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle and current Palmer Mayor Edna DeVries. There are eight candidates running for the three available Assembly seats. Mark Bailey, F. Jay Kruger and Dee McKee are all running for the Assembly seat in District 3, currently held by George McKee who will term out in November. In District 6, Dick Clippard and Kristi Short are running against incumbent Jesse Sumner. In District 7, Ron Bernier is running against current Deputy Mayor Tam Boeve.

There are four candidates for the two School Board seats. Lori Berrigan is running against incumbent Tom Bergey in District 1. Jubilee Underwood and Jennifer Walther are running for the School Board seat in District 4.

The Mat-Su Borough will publish candidate questionnaires from all candidates who respond prior to election day.