Initial results are in from Bethel’s municipal election and from Rural Education Attendance Area (REAA) school board elections throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta.
Bethel municipal election
There are still a handful of Bethel ballots to be counted, but the outcome of the election is unlikely to change. Bethel city council candidates Mark Springer, Kelsi Kime, and Teresa Keller will gain two-year terms on the council. Write-in candidate Greg Schiedler will likely gain a one-year term on the council, with write-in votes yet to be verified.
Bethel’s canvass board will meet Thursday, Oct. 9 to count write-in votes and process early, absentee, questioned, and special needs ballots. The Bethel City Council will then meet to certify the election on Oct. 14.
Preliminary voter turnout numbers for this election are low – both of Bethel’s voting precincts saw turnouts around half of what they were last year. Of the just over 4,000 registered voters in Bethel, just 4.5% cast ballots in this local election.
REAA school board elections
As of late evening on Oct. 7, the Alaska Division of Elections was still receiving election results from precincts throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
In REAA 03, the Lower Yukon School District, three school board seats were up for election.
For Section 1 - Seat A, challenger Matilda A. “Tillie” Oktoyuk was leading incumbent Max Ayagar with 8 of 10 precincts reporting.
For Section 1 - Seat C, Incumbent Christine R. Teganlakla led challengers Gordon Westlock Jr. and Maggie Westlock-Harpak with 8 of 10 precincts reporting.
And in Section II - Seat E, challenger Darlene M. “Darcy” Pete had a strong lead over incumbent Edgar P. Hoelscher, also with 8 precincts reporting.
REAA 04, the Lower Kuskokwim School District, had two seats up for election, but neither was contested. Incumbent Wassillie Pleasant of Nunapitchuk is poised to be re-elected to Section III - Seat D, and incumbent Hugh Dyment of Bethel will be re-elected to Section IV - Seat I.
In REAA 05, the Kuspuk School District, up the Kuskokwim River, four seats were up for election. Two of those seats were contested.
Section I - Seat A was uncontested and Rachelle K. Persson will be re-elected.
In Section I - Seat C, incumbent Phyllis E. Evan appears to have held her seat against a challenge from Nathan Underwood.
Audrey E. Leary ran uncontested to represent Section II - Seat D.
And for Section II - Seat F, Jeanette L. Hoffman beat Teresa M. Simeon-Hunter with all precincts reporting.
REAA 11, the Iditarod Area School District, the two seats up for election were both contested.
For Section 1 - Seat B, Nathan J. Elswick won the three-way race against Rosalie V. Wulf and Matthew A. Burkett.
And in the contest for Section II - Seat D, Patience O. Clairmont pulled ahead of Walt Maakestad and Tiffany B. Workman.
In REAA 22, the Kashunamiut School District in Chevak, John Henry Atchak won the Section 1 - Seat B race against Gregory E. Slats for the seat.
There were two seats up for election in REAA 23, the Yupiit School District.
In the race for Section I - Seat A, Melanie D. Kasayulie Alexie will be re-elected.
And for Section III - Seat G, it appears Moses Owen will likely hold the seat against the challenge from Michael P. Williams Sr.
The seventh school district in the Y-K Delta, the St. Mary’s City School District, doesn't hold school board elections through a Regional Education Attendance Area.
Like Bethel’s local election, these election results are preliminary. The State of Alaska aims to certify the results of REAA school board elections by Oct. 24, to allow time for mail-in ballots to be received.
This article will be updated with vote counts and the reported outcomes may change. Mail-in ballots can take up to two weeks to be received and counted. If changes are made, they will be noted below.
