Public Media for Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
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Four candidates have filed to represent the Y-K Delta in the August state primary election

This 2022 unofficial map shows the Alaska legislative House and Senate Districts. The map is currently under litigation.
Alaska Redistricting Board
This 2022 unofficial map shows the Alaska legislative House and Senate Districts. The map is currently under litigation.

Candidates hoping to represent the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in the state legislature have begun filing election paperwork ahead of the August primary. Here's a list of which candidates have filed so far.

Senate District S

Democratic Incumbent Sen. Lyman Hoffman has filed aletter of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The letter allows him to begin receiving campaign contributions. He currently represents the lower Kuskokwim River area, Bristol Bay region, and Aleutian Islands, and is the state’s longest-serving legislator. His most recentcampaign disclosure form filed in February shows Hoffman having $10,250 in his campaign chest. Hoffman has not yet filed with the Alaska Division of Elections to get his name on the primary election ballot. The deadline to do that is June 1.

House District 38

Bethel Mayor Mark Springer is making his first bid for state office. Springer has filed a letter of intent with the state to run as an unaffiliated candidate in the House District 38 primary. That seat represents the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta’s lower Kuskokwim River and Bering Sea coastal communities. He has not yet filed with the state Division of Elections to get his name on the ballot and has not had to file any campaign disclosure forms.

Springer’s main competition would be the current representative for House District 38, Democratic Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky. She has not filed any paperwork to seek re-election. “As she does every election cycle, Rep. Zulkosky is evaluating her options with regard to whether she plans to run again. There remains nearly a month left before the filing deadline, and right now her focus is on doing the job that her constituents sent her to Juneau to do," said a statement emailed from her office to KYUK. Zulkosky’s most recentcampaign disclosure form filed in February shows her having $5,000 in her campaign account.

House District 39

For House District 39, representing the lower Yukon River and Bering Straits region, two names will appear on the primary election ballot: Democratic Incumbent Rep.Neal Foster and Independent candidateTyler Ivanoff. Foster has $3,550 in his campaign fund, according to his most recentcampaign disclosure form filed in February. Ivanoff does not have any money in his fund, according to his most recent disclosure form from February.

Senate District T

The lower Yukon River communities are also represented by Senate District T. Democratic Sen. Donny Olson holds that seat and is not up for re-election.

The state primary election is August 16, 2022.

Anna Rose MacArthur served as KYUK's News Director from 2015-2022.
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