Primary election voting ends, ballot counting begins

MAT-SU — Voters heading to the polls today for the primary election will face a crowded ballot full of local and statewide races, plus one hotly contested ballot proposition.

Here’s a rundown:

Proposition 1

The much-debated proposition has been the subject of millions of dollars worth of advertising. A “yes” vote repeals SB21, which changed the way the state taxes oil. Proponents say the new regime amounts to a giveaway of state money to the oil companies and did nothing to spur oil development. Opponents counter that lower taxation leads to more production and thus more jobs. They say SB21 needs more time to work.

State races

Everyone gets to vote on the proposition. But that’s where the ballot splits. Voters who are not registered as Democrats will be asked which ballot they wish to vote, the Republican ballot or the open ballot. Here’s a look at those ballots:

U.S. Senate

The race for senate has been another hotly contested one, with four Republican candidates vying for the chance to head to the general election.

Though John M. Jaramilo will be the first name on the ballot, the other three Republicans in the race are soaking up all the attention.

They are: Joe Miller, who won the last Republican U.S. Senate primary before losing to incumbent Lisa Murkowski’s write-in campaign; Dan Sullivan, a former state attorney general and Department of Natural Resources Commissioner; and Mead Treadwell, the state’s current Lt. Governor.

On the open ballot side, Democrat Bill Bryk faces incumbent Democrat Mark Begich. There are also contested races for the Libertarian and Alaska Independence Party nominations. Libertarian candidates include Mark Fish, Scott Kohlhaas and Thom Walker. Vying for the AIP nomination are Wasilla’s own Vic Kohring and Zachary Kile.

U.S. Representative

Don Young is seeking a return to office. Facing him in the primary are three challengers: John Cox, Dave Dohner and David Seaward.

On the Democratic side, Forrest Dunbar is squaring off against Frank Vondersaar.

The winners of those two races square off against Libertarian Jim McDermott in the general.

Governor

Sean Parnell faces three challengers in his Republican primary race. Butte resident Gerald Heikes, former Alaskan Republican Party Chairman Russ Millette and realtor Brad Snowden are taking him on.

Byron Mallott has been getting most of the attention on the Democrat side but will have to fend off Phil Stoddard to get to the general.

In the general, the Republican and Democrat will face Libertarian Care Clift.

Lt. Governor

Probably alone among statewide races, the greater amount of heat in this race has been on the Democrat side. Colony High School math teacher Bob Williams is facing Anchorage state Sen. Hollis French.

The Republican candidate widely presumed to be a shoo-in is Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan but he does have to take down a primary opponent, Kelly Wolf, to get there.

Libertarian Andrew C. Lee will join the winners on the general election ballot.

LOCAL RACES

Quite a few Valley races this year won’t be decided until the general election. Among them are:

• The race for Sen. Seat E, in which incumbent Republican Mike Dunleavy is facing Independent candidate Warren Keogh in the general.

• The race for House District 7 will see Republican Lynn Gattis square off against Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright.

• The battle for House District 8, where Republican Mark Neuman is facing challenges from Independent Stephen Jacobson and Democrat Pam Rahn.

• In the fight for House District 10, incumbent Republican Wes Keller has drawn challenges from Independent candidate and former Houston Mayor Roger Purcell and Democrat and former school board member Neal Lacy.

• In House District 11, incumbent Shelley Hughes, a Republican, is facing a challenge from Democrat Pete LaFrance.

Senate Seat F

The seat is often referred to as a new Valley Senate seat and it is that in the sense that it is a Senate seat that takes in mostly Valley areas when before it was split between Mat-Su and Anchorage.

Facing off are Rep. Bill Stoltze, who will resign his House seat win or lose, and DeLena Johnson, mayor of Palmer.

The winner there meets Democrat Pat Chesbro in the general election.

House District 9

On the Republican side, incumbent Eric Feige is trying to fend off two challengers, Sutton Community Council President George Rauscher and Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Jim Colver.

Whoever wins that race will face Democrat and lodge owner Mabel Wimmer and Alaska Constitution Party candidate Pamela Goode in the general election.

House District 12

This is the seat Stoltze will vacate, meaning there isn’t an incumbent. On the Republican side, Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Ron Arvin is battling it out with businesswoman and legislative staffer Cathy Tilton.

The winner here will face Democrat Gretchen Wehmhoff in the general election.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.