By Gretchen Wehmhoff

It’s election season. Here is a run-down of the upcoming elections Skagwegians will be voting in, including  the Alaska State Primary Election.

Alaska Primary Election 

Aug. 18, 2020 

(polls open 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Absentee and absentee in-person deadlines and details:

Absentee voting in-person opens for the primary election on Aug. 3.
The deadline for requesting an absentee by mail application is Aug. 8.  Request a ballot online at https://absenteeballotapplication.alaska.gov. Voters will need their Alaska driver’s license or state ID card number. The information on the application must match the information on the driver’s license.  Those who don’t have ID will need to use a paper absentee ballot application form, also available at the link above.

Absentee by electronic transmission application deadline is  Aug 17.   Absentee voting in-person closes for the primary election on Aug. 17.

The Candidates 

(All cities are those listed on the Alaska Division of Elections Website and may indicate a headquarters address rather than the candidate’s home address.)

State House 33 – Skagway, Haines area

Democrat Sara Hannan of Douglas is running unopposed in both the primary and general elections.

State Senate Seat Q

Senator Jessie Kiehl, democrat, gets to sit this one out as Seat Q is not in the 2020 election cycle.

U.S. House of Representatives

Republican Don Young of Anchorage, the incumbent for four decades, has plenty of challengers. On the Republican Primary Ballot he will meet Gerald L. “Jer” Heikes of Palmer and T. “John” Nelson of Chugiak.

The Democrat Primary ballot will include two democrats and one non-partisan.  Alyce Galvin, a registered non-partisan from Anchorage, will meet democrats William “Bill” Hibler of Fairbanks and Ray Sean Tugatuk of Manakotak.

U.S. Senate

The Democratic Primary Ballot includes three candidates. Democrat Edgar Blatchford of Anchorage will go up against non-partisans Chris Cummings of Ketchikan and Al Gross of Anchorage. 

Incumbent Dan Sullivan, republican from Anchorage, is uncontested on the Republican Primary Ballot.

The Alaskan Independence  (AI) Primary ballot will include AI candidate John Wayne Howe of Fairbanks.

• The Skagway News will highlight the candidates who are running in the Alaska State General Election in the Oct. 9  issue.

More information, including phone numbers and email for the candidates can be found HERE.

Additional information about the primary and general elections can be found HERE

Skagway Municipal Election

With the exception of Anchorage, most Alaska towns, boroughs and municipalities will hold municipal elections Oct. 6.

In Skagway, candidates may file for the Skagway Borough Assembly or the Skagway School Board between Aug. 3 and Aug. 17. The Declaration of Candidacy form must be filed with the borough clerk and must include a Public Official Financial Disclosure (available on  their myAlaska.gov account) to be considered complete.

Candidate Qualifications

 Any person qualified to vote in borough elections may have his/her name placed on the ballot for election as a candidate for any borough elective office. No person may serve simultaneously as mayor and assemblymember.

Up for election

Two assembly seats, currently held by David Brena and Dan Henry, are up for election as well as two school board seats held by Heather Rodig and Denise Sager. 

Register to vote

The deadline to register to vote for the municipal election is Sept. 6.  

Absentee and in-person voting

The Skagway clerk’s office election page states that voters who will be out-of-town for the Regular Municipal Election on Oct. 6 are able to vote absentee in person at the borough offices beginning Sept. 21 and ending Oct. 5, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. In order to allow sufficient time for mailing, absentee ballots by mail should be requested by Sept. 25.

For more information about the Oct. 6 municipal election, contact the borough clerk at e.deach@skagway.org.