It took municipal clerk Sara Peterson (pictured here) and deputy clerk Melissa Henshaw over 90 minutes to open absentee ballots and pass them through the accuvote machine. The 684 absentee and questioned ballots almost constituted their own precinct. Peterson suspects this may have been a record absentee return. (KCAW photo/Robert Woolsey)
There was no change in the outcome of the Sitka municipal election, after absentee counting Friday afternoon.
Election officials counted a total of 684 absentee and questioned ballots, while local media, at least two assembly candidates, and municipal administrator Mark Gorman looked on.
The new, unofficial totals are:
Mayor
Matt Hunter – 1,396
Mary Magnuson – 805
Ben Miyasato – 486
Assembly (2 to be elected)
Kevin Knox – 1,315
Aaron Bean – 1,058
Aaron Swanson – 919
Alexander Allison – 838
Evy Kinnear – 762
School Board (1 to be elected)
Jennifer McNichol – 1,748
Ed Gray – 843
The assembly will certify the results of the election on Tuesday, October 11, in Harrigan Centennial Hall. After Matt Hunter is sworn in as mayor, the assembly will appoint someone to serve in his assembly seat until October 2017.
