Wasilla, Palmer certify city elections

On Monday during the Wasilla City Council meeting, the results from the Oct. 4 elections were certified.

Angela Long, Chairman of Canvass Board, reported that after reviewing the elections, no irregularities in the ballot counts or discrepancies from the count the city clerk provided were found.

And with that, the council approved that motion to certify the results, which stand that Alina Rubeo has retained her council seat. In a much tighter race, Nikki Velock has also been reelected after narrowly defeating Ian Crafton, with a difference of only nine votes.

The council members are scheduled to be sworn in on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at Wasilla Council Chambers.

Meanwhile, the Palmer city elections, which had six council seats and the mayor up for election this year, were also certified.

Three of the seats were up for vote after a recall vote earlier this year, after allegations that the members violated the Open Meetings Act when, in 2020, they participated in a Facebook group that was closed. Those initial petitions were rejected, but additional petitions to recall 3 council members were subsequently filed and moved forward to the special election.

Steve Carrington was elected as Mayor, a role he had been filling for the past year after the previous mayor, Edna DeVries, was elected as the Borough Mayor.

John Alcantra, Carol Anzilotti, Cecilia Corbin-Bradford, Josh Tudor, Richard Best, and Thomas Ojala IV were all elected to the Palmer City Council.