Primary election results certified, local races unchanged

Several candidates have dropped out since election day

By Jacob Dye • September 5, 2024 1:30 am
Tags: ,
A poll worker helps a voter cast their ballot at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, during the Alaska Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A poll worker helps a voter cast their ballot at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, during the Alaska Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The results of the Alaska Primary Election were certified on Sunday, though most local races didn’t change much in the weeks following election day, Aug. 20.

In the Senate D race, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman and Rep. Ben Carpenter, both Nikiski Republicans, added a couple hundred votes each between the night of the election and the certification of results. Bjorkman’s lead over Carpenter widened slightly, now a difference of 4% of ballots cast, up from 2.6%.

There were 2,924 votes cast in Bjorkman’s favor, for 44.30% of the vote, and 2,660 votes cast for Carpenter, at 40.30% of the vote.

Tina Wegener, a Sterling Democrat, got 845 votes and 12.80%, while Andy Cizek, running for the Alaska Independence Party, landed 172 votes and 2.61%. According to Alaska Division of Elections filings, Cizek has since withdrawn from the race.

Bill Elam and John Hillyer, who both are Republicans running for House District 8, were in a dead heat on election day and now are separated only by 54 votes. Hillyer has 1,652 votes and 50.83% of the share; Bill Elam secured 1,598 and 49.17%.

Another race that didn’t shift much from the preliminary results was House District 7. Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, now has 1,630 votes and 59.69% of the share over former Rep. Ron Gillham, R-Kenai, who has 1,101 votes and 40.31%.

House District 6, representing the southern Kenai Peninsula, shows Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, holding 1,998 votes and 43.23% of the vote.

Brent Johnson, current Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly president running nonpartisan, has 1,569 votes and 33.95%.

Alana Greear, a Kachemak-Selo School teacher also running nonpartisan, has 790 votes and 17.09%, but on Monday she dropped out of the race and endorsed Johnson. Johnson and Greear’s vote totals combined equal more than 50%.

Dawson Slaughter, an Anchor Point Republican, captured 265 votes, good for 5.73%.

Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, widened her considerable lead over Seward Libertarian Leighton Radner, now claiming more than 80% of the vote total with 1,566 ballots cast for her to Radner’s 381.

Full, certified results can be found at elections.alaska.gov.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Tags: ,