MEA releases election results

Matanuska Electric Association released the preliminary results from its 2020 election.

Incumbents Bill Kendig and Robert Doyle will return to their seats on the MEA Board of Directors. Kindig earned 585 total votes, 43 percent of the vote, in the race for the Susitna West District board seat. Doyle ran unopposed in the Susitna East District race, and received 916 total votes.

Four propositions and an advisory vote were also on the 2020 ballot. Proposition 1, adjust board of directors election schedule so at-large directors terms are staggered, passed with 89 percent of the vote and a margin of 5,150 to 605. Proposition 2, reduce time a candidate has to withdraw from the election to five days after filing deadline, passed with 4,492 yes votes and 1,239 no votes. Proposition 3, provide additional reason for director removal by the board of directors, passed with 80 percent of the votes and 4,552 voting yes and 1,144 no votes. Proposition 4, clarify procedures for member submittal of a bylaw amendment, passed with 5,093 voting yes (90 percent) and 589 no votes.

The advisory vote, which asked if the MEA Board, in conjunction with the member-led bylaw committee undertake a review of the MEA bylaws to make them more readable and understandable while retaining the unique needs and character of the cooperative passed with 5,108 yes votes (89 percent) and 621 no votes.

More than 5,800 MEA members voted, with an 11 percent turnout. Online voting increased by 41 percent, according to MEA officials. A total of 59 percent voted by mail. In-person voting was suspended to the coronavirus pandemic and the Annual Membership meeting is postponed until the state’s mandate regarding large gatherings is lifted.

The election will be certified by the MEA Board of Directors during a special meeting on April 27.

MEA also announced its 2020 scholarship recipients. Susitna Valley’s Daniel Kehoe received $7,500, Colony High’s Brooklyn Kopsack was awarded $3,000 and Mat-Su Career and Technical School’s Emerson Moser received $2,500.