Both of Sitka's precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Harrigan Centennial Hall for the municipal election.
Early voting wraps up today at 4:30 p.m., at Centennial Hall.
On the ballot are candidates for mayor, Assembly and School Board, and a ballot question.
Running for mayor are Thor Christianson, Lisa Lane and Kevin Mosher. Mosher and Christianson are current Assembly members. The mayor’s term is two years; the current mayor, Steven Eisenbeisz, is not running for another term.
Three candidates are running for two Assembly seats; Sherri Blankenship, JJ Carlson and Darrell Windsor. Carlson is an incumbent. Mary Ann Hall is an official write-in candidate. The open Assembly terms are for three years.
Three School Board candidates are on the ballot for three open seats: Phil Burdick, Matt Potter and Kat Richards. Two of the seats are for three-year terms, and one is for a one-year term.
There is also an amendment to the Home Rule Charter on the ballot.
Ballot Proposition 1 asks:
“Shall the City and Borough of Sitka amend Section 6.01 of its Home Rule Charter to remove the requirement for a mandatory special election when at least one-third of voters in the last regular election sign an initiative or referendum petition, and instead allow the Assembly, by ordinance, to determine whether holding a special election is in the best interest of the municipality? Yes or No?”
The informational section about the proposition that appears on the Oct. 6 election ballot states:
“This amendment would remove the mandatory special election requirement. The petition would instead go before voters at the next scheduled regular or special election, unless the Assembly passes an ordinance calling a special election on the matter.”
Early voting started September 21 and wraps up today. The city clerk’s office said today that a total of 693 voters had cast ballots through Saturday, at Centennial Hall.
The majority of ballots are counted after polls close Tuesday night, including ballots cast on election day and in the early voting process.
Other forms of absentee voting are available through election day. They include:
By Fax/Email - The deadline to request a ballot is 5 p.m., October 6. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. If emailing, voters need to print and scan their ballot.
By Mail: The request deadline has passed. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by October 9, or delivered before polls close at 8 p.m.
The personal representative voting option is available at early voting and on Election Day.
Absentee ballots, other than those cast in the early voting process, will be counted 2 p.m. Friday at Centennial Hall. The city clerk said about 45 absentee ballots, and ballots cast by personal representative, had been requested by mail and email.
Those with questions may call the clerk’s office at 907 747-1826 or 907 747-1811.
