With Nov. 4 election still to come, local winners take office

WASILLA — Across the Mat-Su Borough this week, newly elected or, in most cases, re-elected officials raised their hands and promised to uphold the law during their time in office.

Quite possibly the best speech given to mark the occasion, though, was a farewell from Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Darcie Salmon. The assemblyman and former borough mayor who chose not to run again this year used his freewheeling oratory style Tuesday to bid the assembly adieu while quoting seminal author Charles Bukwoski and bluesy ’60s British rock band, The Animals. Salmon also name-checked author, thinker, and conservative icon Ayn Rand.

“I believe in the philosophy of Objectivism and Ayn Rand and free enterprise capitalism and I operate from a premise that reason is the only absolute,” Salmon said. “I operate from that premise of reality. I’m not interested in wishes and dreams and hopes.”

That is, Salmon clarified, he’s only interested in wishes, dreams and hopes that are capable of being manifested in reality — things like the Point MacKenzie Rail Spur and a Knik Arm bridge.

In saying goodbye, Salmon, who prior to his term on the assembly had formerly served as Mat-Su Borough Mayor, said that he was going to miss borough staffers, but he didn’t stray far into sentiment, especially when for evening assembly meetings.

“I’d like to say that I’m going to miss being over here on Tuesday nights. That would be a lie. I’ve done my time and I’ve done what I could and I’m very comfortable where we’re at today and where things are moving.”

Taking the oath of office recently in the wake of the Oct. 7 election also were Brad Hanson and Linda Combs, who won re-election to the Palmer city council; Bert Cottle, who now holds the reins as Wasilla’s mayor; Tiffany Scott and Ole Larson, who were re-elected to the Mat-Su Borough School Board; and, on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, Steve Colligan, who won another term, and Dan Mayfield, who is replacing Salmon.

Wasilla still has two council members to swear in — Colleen Sullivan-Leonard was re-elected and Stu Graham was picked from a field of three to fill the other open spot. They take the oath of office Monday.

The city of Houston had not sworn in its council members as of press time but Virgie Thompson and Gina Jorgensen were set to take the oath there Thursday night. The city could potentially have a new mayor since the council picks one of its members to serve in that role after each election.

Speaking of elections, though there have been two already this year, and the big one is still yet to come. Early voting on the Nov. 4 general election opened Tuesday. The polling place for in-person early voting is at the Division of Elections office on Bogard Road.

Up for grabs this year are a plethora of positions, from the governorship to one of the state’s U.S. Senate seats to its sole House of Representatives seat, plus all but one of the Valley’s seats in the state legislature representing districts from Talkeetna to Sutton.

In addition to in-person voting, early ballots can be cast through the mail and online. Voters can apply for an absentee ballot up until Saturday and get it back to the Division of Elections with a postmark no later than Nov. 4. They can also vote online. The online voting was made available Tuesday.

Online voters must apply to vote online by 5 p.m., Nov. 3 and ensure the Division of Elections receives the electronic ballot before 8 p.m., Nov. 4. They will need access to a computer and printer and will have to get a witness to sign the ballot before it is deemed complete. The ballot can be returned by mail or online.

For more information about voting options, call the Division of Elections toll free at (877) 375-6508 or visit elections.alaska.gov.

If you’re trying to figure out where to vote in person, the state’s Division of Elections lists polling places on its website at

1.usa.gov/1pGSZla.

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