By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins emerged today as the winner of the District 35 seat in the state House of Representatives with the addition of Sitka’s vote totals to the election results.
The results from Sitka’s two election precincts, representing about half of the voters in District 35, were delayed more than 24 hours because of ballot counting machine malfunctions Tuesday night.
But today, the State Division of Elections reported Kreiss-Tomkins carried Sitka with 1,446 votes, to Richard Wein’s 1,157, in the unofficial results.
The House District 35 totals, with the Sitka votes included, now show Kreiss-Tomkins, the Democratic incumbent, with 2,722 votes to 2,131 for Wein, the Republican challenger. The few small precincts still unreported were not expected to change the outcome, which will be unofficial until outstanding absentees are counted and the results are certified.
“I’m grateful for the support in Sitka and around the district and I’ll continue to work as hard as I possibly can for everyone I represent,” Kreiss-Tomkins said today of his fourth successful campaign to represent Sitka in the state House.
Still left to be counted are votes from Craig (1,156 registered voters), Kake (404 registered), Klawock (749 registered), and Thorne Bay (681 registered).
Kreiss-Tomkins had a slight lead over Wein in the results available Wednesday, the day after the election, when the Sitka votes were not available. Election officials here shipped the electronic components of the Sitka ballot counting machines to the State Division of Elections in Juneau, where the data was extracted and added to the District 35 totals today.
Kreiss-Tomkins was in Anchorage today, meeting with other members of the mostly Democratic coalition, when he heard the updated vote totals.
Asked why he thought District 35 voters chose him, he said, “I work hard and try to do my job well, and generally try to approach things with a ‘common ground’ orientation, approach things from the middle.”
The coalition represented a majority in the House in the last session, but this election has shifted the balance, Kreiss-Tomkins said.
This time around, Republicans have a slight edge, securing at least 20 seats. Unofficial results show Republican challenger Bart LeBon with a 79-vote lead over Democratic incumbent Kathryn Dodge in District 1.
If the Republican maintains the lead, there will be a 21-19 Republican majority,” Kreiss-Tomkins said. “That split is unprecedented in Alaska history. Knowing the ideologues from the Mat-Su Valley, I think it will be difficult for them to govern, with a 21 majority. They are not going to have a consensus on a lot of things.”
Sentinel attempts to contact Wein were unsuccessful.
Kreiss-Tomkins led Wein in most District 35 communities. North Prince of Wales, where Wein took 51 votes to Kreiss-Tomkins’ 26, was the exception. Absentee and advance voting ballots showed Wein taking 303 votes and Kreiss-Tomkins 298.
Petersburg, the second biggest community in the district behind Sitka, gave Kreiss-Tomkins 547 votes to 383 for Wein.
Kreiss-Tomkins told the Sentinel that the coalition is maintaining its solidarity, and is awaiting Gov.-elect Mike Dunleavy’s announcement of his cabinet selections.
“It’ll be interesting to see who he names,” Kreiss-Tomkins said. “That will give an immediate sense of the direction he wants to take the administration.”
Sitka did not go with the trends in the election of U.S. House or governor.
Democrat Alyse Galvin carried Sitka with 1,591 votes, 1,006 for Don Young, the Republican incumbent who won re-election to the U.S. House.
In the contest for governor, Sitkans picked Democrat Mark Begich, with 1,471 votes, against 1,002 for Mike Dunleavy, the statewide winner. Billy Toien (Libertarian) garnered 61 votes in Sitka and Gov. Bill Walker received 61, even though he dropped out of the race prior to the election.
A majority of Sitka voters favored Ballot Measure 1, “Stand for Salmon,” with 1,449 voting Yes and 1,105 voting No on the initiative, which was rejected by the voters statewide.
Sitkans and District 35 voted in favor of the three judges on the ballot for retention, William B. Carey, Kevin G. Miller and Kirsten L. Swanson.
Kreiss-Tomkins said there were no huge surprises in the election.
“The results are mixed, it’s difficult to say or draw conclusions,” he said. “There wasn’t anything that totally floored me.”
