Elections

Rachel Nash tests voting equipment at the George A. Navarre Borough building on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough to upgrade voting system

The acquisition of ADA-compliant voting equipment was initiated by a complaint filed by a voter who alleged the borough discriminated against him

Rachel Nash tests voting equipment at the George A. Navarre Borough building on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File “I voted” stickers await voters on Election Day 2022. That election was the first regular general election in Alaska to include ranked choice voting, which was narrowly approved by voters in 2020. Bills to do away with ranked choice voting have been introduced in the Legislature and a petition to put the matter before voters is circulating. However, a pro-ranked choice petition has been launched to show support for the state’s current elections system, which also includes open primaries.

Pro-ranked choice petition launched

Signatures sought to persuade Legislature not to overturn RCV and open primaries.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File “I voted” stickers await voters on Election Day 2022. That election was the first regular general election in Alaska to include ranked choice voting, which was narrowly approved by voters in 2020. Bills to do away with ranked choice voting have been introduced in the Legislature and a petition to put the matter before voters is circulating. However, a pro-ranked choice petition has been launched to show support for the state’s current elections system, which also includes open primaries.
Peter Micciche (center) listens to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly certify the results of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election, through which he was elected mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Micciche made borough mayor

Peter Micciche is the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s new mayor following certification of the Feb. 14, 2023, special election results by the borough assembly on Tuesday.… Continue reading

Peter Micciche (center) listens to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly certify the results of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election, through which he was elected mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Special mayor election saw 13.1% voter turnout

About 13.1% of the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s more than 54,000 voters cast ballots during the Feb. 14 special mayoral election, a report published Tuesday shows.… Continue reading

A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Signs supporting Kenai Peninsula Borough mayoral candidates Peter Micciche and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings are staked in the snow at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

1,700 ballots still uncounted in mayoral race

Micciche leads with runoff still possible

Signs supporting Kenai Peninsula Borough mayoral candidates Peter Micciche and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings are staked in the snow at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Teresa Minnich, right, waits to help voters feed their ballot into a tabulation machine at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Micciche leads mayor’s race

Election workers reported sluggish voter turnout

Teresa Minnich, right, waits to help voters feed their ballot into a tabulation machine at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer High School students participate in Kenai Peninsula Borough mayoral forum in the Homer High School Mariner Theater, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)

Students quiz mayoral candidates in high school forum

The event was organized by students in coordination with local voting advocacy groups Kenai Peninsula Votes and the League of Women Voters

Homer High School students participate in Kenai Peninsula Borough mayoral forum in the Homer High School Mariner Theater, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)
A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Election day is Tuesday

The borough’s special mayoral election is Feb. 14

A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Cash pours into borough mayoral race

Campaign disclosure reports filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission show that tens of thousands of dollars have flowed into the race

From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, borough mayoral candidates Dave Carey, Peter Micciche, Zachary Hamilton and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings participate in a candidate forum held at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Candidates make final pitches at Soldotna forum

The election is Tuesday, Feb. 14

From left, borough mayoral candidates Dave Carey, Peter Micciche, Zachary Hamilton and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings participate in a candidate forum held at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Voices of the Peninsula: Get out there and Vote!

The League of Women Voters on the Kenai and Kenai Peninsula Votes created this voter guide for the mayoral election

A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voting for special mayoral race underway

Election day is Feb. 14

From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough mayoral candidates participate in Tuesday forum

The forum was hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM in partnership with the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters

From left, Dave Carey, Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings, Zach Hamilton and Peter Micciche participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor candidate forum on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
KDLL, Peninsula Clarion and League of Women Voters will host an election forum ahead of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election.

Clarion, KDLL to hold special mayoral candidate forum Tuesday

The special mayoral election is slated for Feb. 14

KDLL, Peninsula Clarion and League of Women Voters will host an election forum ahead of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election.
A 2022 voter information pamphlet rests on a desk in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough to no longer mail election pamphlets

A pamphlet with information about how to access an online version will be mailed for three years

A 2022 voter information pamphlet rests on a desk in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sheree Van Natta speaks to a voter at the Kenai Mall, polling place for Precinct 3 voters, on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Register by Sunday to vote in special mayoral election

The special election was necessitated by the resignation of former Mayor Charlie Pierce

Sheree Van Natta speaks to a voter at the Kenai Mall, polling place for Precinct 3 voters, on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Regular Municipal Election informational pamphlet for the Oct. 4, 2022, election is pictured. The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is considering an ordinance that would end distribution of hard copies of the pamphlet to borough box holders. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Assembly mulls nixing voter pamphlet mailers

Mailing a borough to every box holder in the Kenai Peninsula Borough costs about $30,000 each regular election

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Regular Municipal Election informational pamphlet for the Oct. 4, 2022, election is pictured. The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is considering an ordinance that would end distribution of hard copies of the pamphlet to borough box holders. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Alaska Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai explains the ranked choice voting process as the results are tallied during an Alaska Public Media broadcast, Nov. 23, 2022, at her office in Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Elections division head to step down Friday

Fenumiai made the decision to retire in September, a division spokesperson said

Alaska Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai explains the ranked choice voting process as the results are tallied during an Alaska Public Media broadcast, Nov. 23, 2022, at her office in Juneau. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Demonstrators hold signs supporting Justin Ruffridge and Jesse Bjorkman for state office on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Nov. 8 election results certified

The outcomes of local races for state office remain unchanged

Demonstrators hold signs supporting Justin Ruffridge and Jesse Bjorkman for state office on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough administration building is photographed on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

4 candidates vie for borough mayoral seat

The special election is slated for Feb. 14

The Kenai Peninsula Borough administration building is photographed on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)