Update: Bjorkman, Ruffridge, Elam and Vance lead in election night results

Preliminary results published by the State Division of Elections on Election Day, Nov. 5, show leads for incumbents and some close races for the seats representing the Kenai Peninsula in the Alaska Legislature.

Information in this story is based on preliminary, unofficial election night results published by the State Division of Elections. Results may shift as early and absentee ballots are counted in the coming weeks, and when ranked choice tabulation occurs.

Early votes cast through Thursday, Oct. 31, were counted and included in election night results, according to the division, though early ballots cast starting on Friday, Nov. 1, won’t be counted until Nov. 12.

In races where no candidate secured 50% of the vote, the ranked choice tabulation will eliminate the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes and the second-choice votes of the people who selected the eliminated candidate — if they selected any second-choice candidates — will be allocated. That process repeats until a candidate has 50% of the vote. Tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 21, and the election is targeted for certification on Nov. 30.

Senate District D

Election night results show incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, leading the race for Senate District D with 7,218 ballots cast in his name, good for 47.83% of the vote. Ben Carpenter, also a Nikiski Republican, has just more than 1,000 fewer votes in the preliminary results, claiming 6,209 and 41.14% of the vote. Tina Wegener, a Sterling Democrat, took 1,629 votes and 10.79%.

Because no candidate has 50%, ranked choice voting tabulation will be applied to determine the winner — in addition to the counting of any remaining early and absentee ballots.

Bjorkman on Tuesday said he was grateful to his wife, kids and campaign volunteers.

“There are a lot of votes left to count,” he said. “We are cautiously optimistic about continuing our work for the people of the Kenai Peninsula.”

Wegener on Thursday offered congratulations to Bjorkman, saying “it is my hope that he will listen to all constituents and work for Alaska’s future.” She said also that she was excited by the high voter turnout and by Donald Trump’s apparent win in the presidential race.

Carpenter did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

House District 6

Incumbent Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, leads in preliminary results for the House District 6 race. Vance received 4,305 ballots, or 47.69% of the vote — a less than 5% lead over challenger Brent Johnson.

Johnson followed Vance with 3,868 votes, or 42.85% of the overall vote. Dawson Slaughter sits in third place, holding 836 votes and 9.26%.

Because neither Vance nor Johnson hold 50% of the overall vote, ranked choice voting tabulation — as well as the still-uncounted number of absentee and questioned ballots — will determine the winner.

Slaughter thanked his supporters and those who came out and voted on Election Day.

“We may not have gotten the numbers and I look forward to seeing the rest of the numbers to come in,” he wrote in a text message Tuesday night. “Again, thanks to all the folks coming out to vote!”

Neither Vance nor Johnson responded to requests for comment Tuesday night.

On Facebook on Wednesday, Vance wrote that while she leads in the race, she’s yet to win. She said she expects that people who voted for Slaughter would rank her as their second choice, but “we just don’t know how people rank with RCV.”

“We had a great turnout and I remain hopeful for a positive outcome,” she wrote. “Now we wait.”

House District 7

Incumbent Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, leads comfortably in preliminary results for the House District 7 race — claiming 59.36% of the vote with 3,915 ballots cast in his favor. Ron Gillham, also a Soldotna Republican, collected 2,619 votes and 39.71% of the vote.

Reached Tuesday, Ruffridge said only that he is “happy with the support and the hard work folks put into this race.”

Gillham did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment, but on Wednesday wrote on Facebook “I would like to humbly thank each of the 2,619 individuals who trusted me with their votes.”

House District 8

Bill Elam, who closely trailed opponent John Hillyer in the state’s primary election in August, shows a narrow lead in preliminary results. With 3,720 ballots cast in his name, Elam captures a 51.26% share of the vote. Hillyer took 3,435 votes and 47.33%.

Elam said Tuesday that he was encouraged by the results and by the strong turnout. He credited his wife and friends for their support throughout his campaign.

“It was a lot of hard work,” he said. “Hopefully these numbers hold through the absentee counts.”

Hillyer did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment.

House District 5

Incumbent Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, received 3,674 votes, a 76.51% share, to only 1,094 votes, 22.78%, for challenger Leighton Radner, a Seward resident and registered member of the Alaska Libertarian Party.

Enthusiasm at the polls

At the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, poll workers had to call for more stickers.

That’s because there were so many people voting.

“I’m guessing they’re all that way,” Poll worker Nancy Eoff said at the K-Beach Precinct in the sports complex. “We’ve had to call our field worker. We ran out of stickers.”

Poll workers were hastily cutting up a fresh roll shortly after noon.

It’s fun to see busy polls, Eoff said, heartwarming to see people enthusiastic about voting.

“This is what we want,” said Cindy Newby at the Central precinct right next door. “It’s been a good day.”

At nearly 6 p.m., in Kenai’s Precinct No. 2, poll worker Jenn Ticknor said the booths had been “stacked” all day — lines regularly stretching out the door. New rolls of stickers were being delivered to the precinct as she spoke.

At that time, well over 400 people had cast ballots at the precinct and Ticknor said it had been “amazing to see,” in particular, the number of young and first-time voters.

That heavy traffic and enthusiastic engagement, she said, is what all the poll workers always hope to see.

“We do it for a reason,” she said. “We do it because we love it, we love democracy. We want to be here for everybody to vote.”

Poll workers in Anchor Point said that voting traffic had been steady all day. Of the precinct’s more than 2,500 registered voters, 640 had cast their ballots in person by 2 p.m.

That number does not include the questioned ballots and absentee ballots that were dropped off at the precinct earlier today, of which the poll workers said they had “a ton.”

In Homer, too, poll workers said that many residents had cast their ballot ahead of Election Day.

Homer polls in the downtown area of Homer include City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce and the Homer Methodist Church. As of noon, City Hall had about 270 votes cast, “but nothing like what it was like yesterday,” a poll worker said.

Shari Daugharty, working at the Homer Chamber of Commerce, said she has been working elections since 2016 and called this year’s the best turn out of voters she’s seen. Daugharty directed a voter to a pile of stickers as he tipped his ballot into the electric counting box — “you sir, have earned yourself a sticker.”

At about 1:30 p.m. the chamber had about 206 ballots cast. Daugharty noted that the number only indicates “valid” ballots and that questioned ballots in the box or ballots that people brought from home still need to be counted.

Civic duties and key issues

In Anchor Point, several residents said that they came out to vote because they knew this election was “a big one.”

Michael and Rose Butler, who said they were generally avid voters, commented on the turnout so far for Tuesday’s election.

“I feel good about the turnout that we have so far. It’s important that every voice is heard,” said Rose Butler. “I know sometimes as Alaskans, they’re celebrating who the president is before our polls even close, so it doesn’t make us feel like our votes count very much, but I still think it’s important that we get to have our voices heard, even here in a small town.”

Michael Butler echoed similarly, that he felt it was nice to see the large turnout in Anchor Point and how many people cared about the election’s outcome.

Matthew Mitchell said that he felt voting was his duty as an American.

“Coming from a military family, I really feel that all U.S. citizens should vote. Men and women fought and died for our rights to vote,” he said. “I wish more people would get out and vote, regardless of who they consider should be the proper candidate.”

Mitchell also said that he’s voted in every election since he turned of age, and he’s always encouraged his family to vote.

“It saddens me when I hear how many thousands of people don’t vote,” he said. “I don’t always agree with all the politics that some of the politicians push, but I do feel that everybody should vote.”

In Soldotna, at the intersection of the Sterling Highway and the Kenai Spur Highway, around 1 p.m., candidates Bjorkman, Ruffridge, Elam and Gillham could all be seen waving signs and greeting passersby.

On one corner, supporters of Carpenter, who’s challenging Bjorkman for the Senate District D seat, stood right next to Bjorkman’s mother.

Rex Grob, holding a sign for Carpenter, said he was focused Tuesday on representation that would broaden “freedoms” and protect the permanent fund dividend. He said he also was motivated to vote in favor of an end to ranked choice voting.

“When I voted today, I voted for one candidate in each area,” he said. “I didn’t do any of the ranked voting because I only wanted that one person in.”

In Kenai, close to 4 p.m., supporters of Carpenter, Bjorkman, Ruffridge and John Hillyer stood along the Kenai Spur Highway.

Janell Grenier, holding a sign for Bjorkman, said education was her primary focus on Tuesday.

“Education in our state is in a bad place and that matters to me,” she said. “My kids matter to me — the kids that are in my school matter to me.”

Bjorkman is a legislator who can talk to people and compromise, Grenier said — “that’s what I want to see in a legislator right now.”

An hour later, along the same road, David Brighton spoke similarly. He said he was out supporting Bjorkman and Ruffridge because they approach politics by looking at an issue and seeking “the right thing for Alaska.”

Education, too, he said was the foremost issue on his mind.

“Voting is one of those important things,” he said. “We all need to support the people that help make the laws of the land. I take great pride in making sure I get out and vote, it’s my chance to really add to the political conversation.”

Across the street from Brighton, Kelsey Gravelle, 16, said she’s not yet old enough to vote, but that she had become involved in Carpenter’s campaign as a leadership project. She had brought in friends to volunteer waving signs on the street corner. She said that she hadn’t yet had to solidify her opinions on many issues, but that she was hoping to see ranked choice voting repealed.

In Homer, supporters of Vance and Johnson stood on Pioneer Avenue on Tuesday. Vance’s supporters could be seen next to the old fire station — out on the streets from early in the morning. Supporters of Johnson stood down the same road, across from the Alibi.

Homer News reporter Emilie Springer contributed to this story. This story has been updated throughout election night.