Eight candidates have filed to run for four open seats on the Borough Assembly. Seven of them are running for three-year terms, while one is running for a one-year term.
Voters will select three candidates to fill three-year terms, out of the following:
- Incumbent Steven Ames
- Scott Arndt, former Borough Mayor and assembly member
- Shawn Brekke, an owner-operator of a local welding business, Industrial Maintenance Solutions
- Kaleb Callahan, economic development specialist at Kodiak Area Native Association
- Adam Powers, the director of Facilities and Maintenance at the Kodiak Island Borough School District
- Incumbent Mark Anthony Vizcocho, the President of the Kodiak Filipino-American Association
- And Jeremy Williamson, the owner of AIM Maintenance, a general contracting business in Kodiak
The final candidate is Alexander Sweeney, a commercial underwriter with Umialik Insurance, who filed to run against incumbent Caroline Roberts for the fourth seat with a one-year term on the assembly.
Roberts told KMXT earlier this month on Sept. 8 that she was withdrawing from the election, but due to the timing of her decision, she still will be featured on the ballot.
Roberts said she made the decision to withdraw so that she can give more of her time to her family. That leaves Sweeney as the only candidate still in the running for the one-year term.
More information about the eight Borough Assembly candidates and their stances on various issues, can be found by viewing KMXT's candidate forum from Sept. 8.
As for the other races on this year’s municipal ballot, registered Borough voters will select two candidates for the local school board. Incumbents Kerry Irons and Duncan Fields are the only two who filed to run for those seats.
There are also several open seats on various service area boards, with many lacking any candidates to fill them. Bay View Road Service Area Board has one three-year term up for grabs with no candidates filed.
Fire Protection Area No. 1 Board has two seats open. Arndt, one of the Borough Assembly candidates, and Richard Carstens have filed for those seats.
Monashka Bay Road Service Area Board has one three-year term open with candidates filed.
Service Area No. 1 Board has three seats open. Incumbents Arndt, Craig Dagen, and Mike Sirofchuk have all filed for another three-year term.
And Womens Bay Service Area Board has three three-year terms open with only one candidate, incumbent Dave Heuman filing for a seat.
Both the Borough and the City of Kodiak allow write-in candidates, and it seems the city will need write-ins to fill a vacant City Council seat.
There are three council seats up for grabs this year; two with three-year terms and one with a one-year term. Incumbent Nick Mangini, who was appointed to fill a one-year term last November, has filed for one of the three-year terms. No one else has filed for the second seat with a three-year term.
Former council member Charlie Davidson is the only candidate who filed for the one-year seat.
Registered city voters will also vote yes or no on a ballot proposition to change the residency requirements to allow the City Manager to live within five road miles of the city rather than requiring the manager to live within city limits.
The current Interim City Manager, Tim Putney is one of roughly 20 applicants being considered for the permanent city manager job, but does not live within city limits. If the ballot measure is approved during this election, then Putney would be eligible to become Kodiak’s next city manager.
Early voting for both borough and city voters is open at the Kodiak Island Borough building, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through Oct. 5. Voters must bring an approved form of identification with them when voting.
