Unofficial results are in, and the presumptive winner of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayoral runoff between Charlie Pierce and Linda Hutchings is…Charlie Pierce.
Pierce collected 3,509 votes or 51.66% with all precincts reporting, Hutchings received 3,283 votes or 48.34%.
Broken down by Precinct – Hutchings took Bear Creek, Cooper Landing, Diamond Ridge, Fox River, Homer 1, Homer 2, Hope, Kachemak City/Fritz Creek, Kenai 3, Moose Pass, Seldovia/Kachemak Bay, Seward/Lowell Point, Soldotna and Tyonek.
Hutchings feels good about her chances.
Linda Hutchings Farnsworth: “I’m just cautiously optimistic.”
Pierce won Anchor Point, Central, Funny River 1, Funny River 2, K-Beach, Kasilof, Kenai 1, Kenai 2, Mackey Lake, Nikiski, Salmontof, Sterling 1, and Sterling 2.
Charlie Pierce: “I’m very humbled. I’m blessed. I appreciate all the voters that demonstrated confidence in me day.”
According to Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship, well over 1,000 absentee votes and questioned ballot are still out. They are hoping to count those ballots on Friday, October 27th.
The election will then be certified October 31st. The winner will be sworn in as mayor after the election is certified.
In the Regular Borough Election, Charlie Pierce received 5,489 votes and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings with 4,604, legally creating the need for a run off.
Pierce served on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly from 2008 to 2014. He recently retired from being the Division Operations Manager for Enstar.
Hutchings grew up on the Kenai Peninsula, the daughter of the pioneering Farnsworth family arrived as homesteaders in 1948. She served on the Alaska Worker’s Compensation Board, Soldotna Parks & Recreation Board, and the Soldotna Charter Commission.
Current Mayor Mike Navarre termed out of the post, and will be starting with the State of Alaska as the Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development after the winner is sworn in.
Navarre is concluding his second consecutive term as mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, and third term overall.
Previously, Navarre served in the Alaska House of Representatives for six terms where he held multiple leadership positions, including Majority Leader, and Chairman of the Finance and Rules Committees.
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