October 8, 2025

Unofficial election results are in for Sitka and communities around the region

Voters in Sitka approved a measure Tuesday (10-7-25) to fund future recreation and athletic facilities. What those facilities will look like and how much the project will cost is still unclear, but Proposition 1 removes restrictions on a city hospital fund to pay for the upgrades.

Right now, the money is set aside to cover retirement costs for former employees of Sitka Community Hospital, which was sold to the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium [SEARHC] in 2019. The fund also takes in about $800,000 a year from the tobacco tax, and city staff anticipate in the coming years there will be a surplus. The measure passed with nearly 61% of the vote on a 720 to 464 vote.

Ballot Proposition 2 would have required sponsors of future citizen initiatives to fund economic impact studies. It was sponsored by organizers of Safeguard Sitka’s Future, a pro-tourism group of local businesses that previously opposed a citizen initiative to limit cruise tourism earlier this year. The sponsors said requiring economic impact studies from expert, third-party consultants would help make elections more transparent, but some critics said the requirement would “put a price tag on the democratic process.” The measure failed with only 36% of Sitkans voting in favor on a 278 to 485 vote.

As for candidates, one clear frontrunner swept the Sitka Assembly race. Katie Riley — a local fisherwoman who heads up the Sitka Conservation Society — beat out the five other candidates with 1,300 votes — that’s more than 32% of votes cast. Incumbent Thor Christianson scored 770 votes, followed very closely by local business owner Sherri Blankenship, who trails Christianson by just 14 votes, leaving the second open assembly seat too close to call. As for the other three candidates, Jonathan Wolf received 589 votes, Austin Cranford received 277, and Tracie Castle received 126.




https://www.kcaw.org/2025/10/07/unofficial-election-results-are-in-for-sitka-and-communities-around-the-region/

October 8, 2025

Early Returns: "Leftist, Democrat-backed" candidate leads City of Palmer mayoral race

WARNING: MAGA site, Enjoying the agony.


The left-leaning former Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper may be headed back to the mayor’s office if his election-night lead holds up.

The socially liberal Cooper, who is backed by Mat-Su Democrats, is leading his nearest challenger, John Alcantra, by a vote of 157 to 103.

According to the early returns, only 7.18% of registered voters turned out, and there are still 261 early, mail-in, questioned and special needs ballots yet to be tallied.

Past social media posts indicate that Cooper is openly pro-abortion and supports the LGBTQ political agenda.




https://alaskawatchman.com/2025/10/07/early-returns-leftist-democrat-backed-candidate-leads-city-of-palmer-mayoral-race/

October 8, 2025

Alaska Democrats capture Fairbanks mayoral, council seats.

https://x.com/Wehopost/status/1975817768307204427

October 8, 2025

Fairbanks leaning Left in initial election night returns

Early results in Fairbanks do not look good for most conservative candidates.

While conservative Assembly candidate Bret Rotermund is running unopposed, and Republican-baked School Board Candidate Audra Hull is comfortably ahead in her race against LGBTQ activist Sam Spencer, all other contests are leaning toward the more leftist candidates.

This includes Assembly Seat C, where conservative J.T. McComas-Roe is trailing leftist-backed Garrett Armstrong by about 1,700 votes. Additionally, conservative incumbent Assemblywoman Barbara Haney is trailing LGBTQ activist Patrick Roach by about 1,900 votes.

In another School Board contest, conservative Melissa Burnett is slightly behind Planned Parenthood-backed Naomi Hewitt – 7,035 to 6,889.



https://alaskawatchman.com/2025/10/07/fairbanks-leaning-left-in-early-election-retur

October 8, 2025

Fairbanks leaning Left in initial election night returns

Early results in Fairbanks do not look good for most conservative candidates.

While conservative Assembly candidate Bret Rotermund is running unopposed, and Republican-baked School Board Candidate Audra Hull is comfortably ahead in her race against LGBTQ activist Sam Spencer, all other contests are leaning toward the more leftist candidates.

This includes Assembly Seat C, where conservative J.T. McComas-Roe is trailing leftist-backed Garrett Armstrong by about 1,700 votes. Additionally, conservative incumbent Assemblywoman Barbara Haney is trailing LGBTQ activist Patrick Roach by about 1,900 votes.

In another School Board contest, conservative Melissa Burnett is slightly behind Planned Parenthood-backed Naomi Hewitt – 7,035 to 6,889.



https://alaskawatchman.com/2025/10/07/fairbanks-leaning-left-in-early-election-returns/

October 8, 2025

Democrats, other progressives running ahead in Alaska municipal election results.

https://x.com/Wehopost/status/1975793712128270847

October 8, 2025

It's Ibsen v. Hines for Tacoma mayor. Here's a Q&A with the candidates

This is a unique election year. Though Tacomans won’t be voting to elect the next president, they will be voting in four City Council elections and a mayor’s face, choosing leaders who will take control in January as the city undergoes immense transition.

With an interim city manager and interim police chief now in place, the new council will be involved in the process of hiring individuals to fill two jobs with high salaries and lots of eyes on them.

Then there’s the mayor’s race, which is down to current District 1 council member John Hines and former District 1 council member Anders Ibsen. It is the eighth most expensive race in the state this year, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.

In their private lives, Ibsen is a realtor and managing broker at Windermere Professional Partners, a real estate brokerage, and Hines is an instructional facilitator for academic acceleration for Tacoma Public Schools.




https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/election/article312258896.html#storylink=cpy

October 8, 2025

Former mayoral candidate in Yelm race endorses JW Foster for general election

Dustin Stephan, a police officer and founder of Youth Athletics Recreation Development (YARD) Campus who was the third candidate in Yelm’s mayoral race during the Thurston County primary election in August, has officially endorsed current candidate JW Foster to become the city’s next mayor.

Stephan announced his endorsement of Foster online, on Facebook, during the morning hours of Thursday, Oct. 2.

Foster is facing incumbent Joe DePinto in the general election.

During the primary election last August, Stephan received roughly 17% of the total voting population — or 227 votes — which is a large enough percentage of the voting pool to potentially close DePinto’s lead on Foster if voters were to heed his endorsement. At the conclusion of the Thurston County primary election, DePinto received 44% of total votes, while Foster received 38%.



https://yelmonline.com/stories/former-mayoral-candidate-in-yelm-race-endorses-jw-foster-for-general-election,388714

October 8, 2025

FL-HD87: Candidate Emily Gregory (D) files lawsuit to compel Gov. DeSantis to call special election

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida House District 87, which spans a wide swath of coastal Palm Beach County, has been vacant since former Rep. Mike Caruso resigned in August to become the county's new court clerk and comptroller.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to call a special election to fill the seat, prompting a lawsuit to be filed Tuesday by Emily Gregory, one of the candidates seeking the office.

"As residents face skyrocketing property insurance, rising costs of living, and underfunded schools, House District 87 has been left without a voice in Tallahassee," Gregory said in a statement. "Our families deserve representation during the 2026 legislative session."

The seat has been vacant since Aug. 18 after DeSantis appointed Caruso to take over the county's clerk and comptroller job.




https://www.wptv.com/news/politics/house-district-87-candidate-emily-gregory-files-lawsuit-to-compel-gov-desantis-to-call-special-election

October 8, 2025

Teacher Deborah Sims Fard drops out of Denver school board election for at-large seat

Denver school board candidate Deborah Sims Fard is dropping out of the race due to an injury.

Sims Fard, a Denver Public Schools teacher, was running for an at-large seat representing the entire city. Two candidates remain in the race for that seat: DPS principal Alex Magaña and Amy Klein Molk, who previously worked as a paraprofessional in DPS.

Because Denver ballots have already been printed, Sims Fard’s name will still appear on the ballot, a spokesperson for the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office said.

Ballots will be mailed to voters on Friday.




https://denverite.com/2025/10/07/deborah-sims-fard-drops-out-school-board-election/