Woodruff wins Wasilla seat

WASILLA — Whether she’s motivated by a sense of civic duty or a glutton for punishment, Dianne Woodruff is on the Wasilla City Council.

Woodruff was among a small handful of observers this afternoon to watch as city election officials counted absentee ballots. The local accountant and Mat-Su Borough planning commissioner led council Seat E opponent Norman Fuller by four votes after Tuesday’s ballots had been counted, making today’s tally of absentee and mail ballots crucial.

Of the 96 absentees, 50 voted for Woodruff and 40 for Fuller. Seat F incumbent Mark Ewing mathematically had a chance to overcome challenger Kristofer Larson, but fell 50 votes short after the final count, 532-482. Woodruff’s final margin of victory was 505 votes to 491.

After learning the results, Woodruff was subdued and already thinking about the job she’s promised to perform.

“I’m really very happy and I’m really very excited,” she said. “Now I get to implement all those good ideas I heard going door-to-door [while campaigning].”

Fuller said waiting to learn the final results was “a bit nerve-wracking. … You’re sitting on a bubble for the last two or three days.”

A former city council member, Fuller was elected in 1996 to fill a vacant seat and re-elected in 1997. Although he missed out on a third term, he is pleased for Woodruff.

“I think the people will be happy with Dianne,” he said. “I think she’ll doe a good job. The biggest winners are the people who went out and voted.”

Now that she’s won, Woodruff has several priorities she feels the city council needs to address. One is how the city handles its land-use policies, especially as they affect small businesses and local residents. Another is finding funding solutions for the Wasilla Library.

Woodruff and Larson will be sworn in Oct. 22.