Sitka Bucks Trend, Favors Harris, Peltola

Details

Category: News

Created on Wednesday, 06 November 2024 15:22

Hits: 161

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Sitka voters’ choices in Tuesday’s general election ran contrary to statewide trends in major contests, with Sitkans narrowly selecting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris over Republican Donald Trump in the presidential race, and Democrat Mary Peltola over Republican Nick Begich in the race for Alaska’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sitka Rose Gallery owner Eugene Solovyov raises a glass this morning as he has a drink with a raven on his Monastery Street roof. Sitkans voted their own way for the most part in Tuesday’s election, bucking state and national election trends. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

    Incomplete and unofficial results for the state showed Trump carried Alaska over Harris by a 15-point margin in the voting for president, and Begich was leading Peltola by 11,000 votes in the House race. With Begich’s lead over Peltola less than 50% of the vote, his win will not be confirmed until Nov. 20, when the ranked choice process will be completed.
    On the ballot questions, Sitka was aligned with the majority of state voters on Ballot Measure 1, voting 1,267 to 497 in favor of a minimum hourly wage of $13 in 2025, $14 in 2026 and $15 in 2027.
    But Sitkans parted ways with the rest of the state on Ballot Measure 2, with 60 percent in Sitka voting “no” on the repeal of ranked choice voting (713-1,067). With absentee votes to be counted, the “Yes” votes have a slight edge, with 51 percent.
    Sitka had a high early voting turnout of more than 1,800. Ballots cast through Oct. 31 were counted election night, the division of elections said. “Additional counts will occur after Election Day until all absentee ballots are counted,” the state of Alaska website says. The state has 15 days to count all absentee ballots.
    Like voters statewide, Sitkans were in favor of retaining all judges on the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior Court, and District Court.
    Rebecca Himschoot, a nonpartisan candidate, ran unopposed for a second term as District 2 representative in the state House of Representatives. She received 1,492 votes.
How Sitka Voted
    The results of the election day tally for Sitka precincts 1 and 2, including early votes cast through October 31, are as follows, from the Division of Elections website:
President/Vice President
Harris/Walz (Dem) - 890
Kennedy/Shanahan (Nom) - 53
Oliver/Maat (Libertarian) - 19
Sonski/Onat (Solidarity) - 4
Stein/Ware (Nom) - 20
Terry/Broden (Constitution) -5
Trump/Vance (Rep) - 852
West/Abdullah (Aurora) - 9
U.S. Representative
Nick Begich (Rep) - 698
Eric Hafner (Dem) - 21
John Howe (Alaskan Independence) - 93
Mary Peltola (Dem) 992
House District 2
Rebecca Himschoot (Nonpartisan) - 1,492
Ballot Measure 1 - minimum wage
Yes - 1,267; No - 497
Ballot Measure 2 - restoring party primaries
Yes - 713; No - 1,067