Valley voters hit the polls

WASILLA — Polls close today at 8 p.m. for the 2015 municipal elections.

The marquee matchup is a three-way competition for borough mayor among Rosemary Vavrin, outgoing assemblyman Vern Halter, and incumbent Mayor Larry DeVilbiss. The race accounts for roughly two thirds of reported fundraising conducted during the 2015 election cycle.

George McKee and political newcomer Maria Serrano will compete to replace term-limit-constrained District 3 assemblyman Ron Arvin. The district encompasses the Lakes community due east of the Wasilla city limits, as well as portions of the Knik-Fairview community to the south.

Acting District 6 assemblywoman Barbara Doty faces challenger Robert A. Doyle. Doty aspires to a full term after an appointment to serve the remainder of former assemblyman Jim Colver’s term. Voters sent Colver to the Legislature in 2014. District 6 encompasses the Fishhook community, as well as neighborhoods stretching up to the southern approach to Hatcher Pass.

Doyle Holmes and Randall Kowalke will vie for the District 7 seat. Halter, elected alongside Arvin, also encountered term limits this year. The district encompasses most of Houston, Willow, Talkeetna, the Meadow Lakes Area, and stretches as far West as hyper-rural Skwentna.

Three at-large school board races feature one traditionally contested race between incumbent Kelsey Trimmer and challenger Wade Long for Seat E.

Two other seats also face write-in competition:

In Seat A, write-in candidate Sacha Pettitt has registered to run against incumbent Debby Retherford.In Seat B, incumbent Sarah Welton faces a late write-in challenge from Michael Coons. Both Pettitt and Coons weren’t certified as write-in candidates until Sept. 29.

Each of the borough’s three cities has at least one competitive race.

Five Palmer five candidates will compete for two open seats on the at-large city council. Incumbents Richard Best and Ken Erbey will face off against challengers David K. Fuller, Pete LaFrance, and Kenni M. Linden.

Incumbent Wasilla Seat B councilman Alvah Clark Buswell III faces challenger Tim Burney.

Incumbent David Wilson did not draw a formal challenger, according to the city web site.

Houston voters will decide whether challengers Chris Johnson or Dawnita Brunswick will replace incumbent city councilwoman Alma Hartley.

Ballot initiatives at the borough level include a measure to eliminate the school district’s at-large format in favor of geographic districts echoing the Assembly districts, and a measure changing the date of elections to coincide with state and nationwide elections on even-numbered years.

Wasilla voters will decide whether to retain a 1 percent increase in the city sales tax past February. If approved, sales tax would remain at 3 percent.

Houston voters will determine whether or not they should increase the sales tax one percent to 3 percent.

Houston and Palmer voters will decide whether or not they will allow commercial marijuana within city limits.

Contact Reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.