With the candidate filing period now closed for all Kenai Peninsula Borough and Municipal elections, the candidates have officially been set for the upcoming October elections.
In Soldotna, the mayoral seat, as well as two city council seats are up for election, though of those three, only Council Seat B is contested. Current Mayor Paul Whitney, and Council Seat F holder, Chera Whackler will be running uncontested. Council Seat B incumbent, Dan Nelson, will be running for reelection against Garrett Dominick. All three elections are for three-year terms.
In Kenai, the city is poised to elect two members to the Kenai City Council. The incumbent council members on the ballot are Henry Knackstedt and Teea Winger, with challengers Glenese Pettey and Phillip D. Daniel adding their names to the ballot. Voters will select two of the four to the Kenai City Council.
For the Kenai Peninsula Borough elections, Mayor Peter Micciche, who is seeking reelection, will run unopposed. In the assembly, Districts 2 (Kenai), 3 (Nikiski), 5 (Sterling), and 8 (Homer) have seats up for reelection. In District 2, Councilmember Richard Derkevorkian will not be seeking reelection; Ryan Tunseth will run for the seat, uncontested. In District 3, incumbent Peter Ribbens will run for reelection in a contested race against challenger Adam Bertoldo. In District 5, incumbent Bill Elam will seek reelection against Nissa Savage. And in District 8 Councilmember Lane Chesley will not be seeking reelection; the seat will be contested by Kelly Cooper and Heath Smith. Assembly seats 2, 5, and 8 are for three-year terms; seat 3 is for a two-year term.
There are four Board of Education seats up for election, Districts 3 (Nikiski), 4 (Soldotna), 5 (Sterling), and 7 (Central Peninsula). In District 3, incumbent Jason Tauriainen will seek reelection against Lyndsey Bertoldo. In District 4, Penny Vadla will run unopposed for reelection. In District 5, incumbent Beverley Romanin will seek reelection against Kelley Cizek. And, in District 7, incumbent Debbie V. Cary will seek reelection against Dianne MacRae.
Regarding KPB Service Area Board Seats which are either vacant, or up for election, none are contested.
Four Kenai Peninsula Borough School Board seats and seven service area board seats will also appear on the ballot.
Borough and Municipal Election Day is Tuesday, October 3rd. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.