By Jake Dye and Delcenia Cosman

The candidate filing period for upcoming elections in the Kenai Peninsula Borough opened on Thursday, Aug. 1. Across Seward, Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, the borough assembly and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education, there are 16 seats up for grabs this fall.

The filing period for candidacy applications across all six electoral races closes at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15. For city elections, applications must be filed with the city clerk’s office by this deadline.

For borough elections, a Declaration of Candidacy form and a Financial Disclosure Statement must be filed with the borough Clerk in Soldotna or at the borough offices in Homer or Seward.

Borough electoral candidates or their campaign committee must also file an Exemption Statement or Registration Statement with the Alaska Public Offices Commission within seven days after filing their Declaration of Candidacy.

Eligible candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a registered voter in the State of Alaska and a one-year resident of the borough and the district from which election is sought at the time of filing.

Candidates are required to file campaign reports separately with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. For additional information on how to file with APOC, visit their website at doa.alaska.gov/apoc/.

Kenai Peninsula Borough

On the Kenai Peninsula’s Borough Assembly, there are three seats up for election this year, each for three-year terms ending in October 2027.

The District 1 seat, which represents Kalifornsky, has been held since 2018 by Brent Hibbert. Having served two terms, beginning in 2018 and 2021, Hibbert will not be able to run for reelection this year. Borough code prevents a person who has served two consecutive terms on the assembly from being reelected until 180 days have passed since leaving office.

District 6, which represents the East Peninsula, has been held by Cindy Ecklund. Ecklund took her seat in 2021 after winning in the 2020 election.

District 9, which represents the South Peninsula, has been held by Mike Tupper, who similarly took office in 2021.

Candidacy forms and the candidate manual are available online at kpb.us under the Assembly and Clerk’s Office page, then “Current Election Information” under the “Elections” sub-menu.

For further questions, contact the borough clerk’s office at assemblyclerk@kpb.us or by calling 907-714-2160 or 907-714-VOTE (8683).

Kenai

In Kenai, two city council seats, held by incumbents James Baisden and Deborah Sounart, will be filled this fall. Unlike other local elections, candidates do not run for specific seats, and Kenai voters will instead cast ballots for two of the running candidates. The two candidates who receive the most votes will take the two seats for three-year terms ending in October 2027.

The nomination petition packet is available at Kenai City Hall, located at 210 Fidalgo Avenue, or online at kenai.city/clerk under “Election Information.”

For more information, contact the city clerk at cityclerk@kenai.city or call 907-283-5086.

Soldotna

In Soldotna, elections will be held for two spots on the Soldotna City Council. Those are for Seat A, which Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings was appointed to in 2020 and then won in a 2021 election, and Seat C, held by Jordan Chilson since 2018. Both seats are for three-year terms ending October 2027.

Per the city’s code of ordinances, a candidate can declare for any seat as long as they are a Soldotna resident, U.S. citizen and qualified voter in the city.

The candidate filing packet can be found at soldotna.org under the City Clerk’s office in “Elections.”

For more information, contact the city clerk at cityclerk@soldotna.org or call 907-262-9107.

Homer

The mayor’s seat and two city council seats are up for grabs this year in Homer.

The city council positions are for three-year terms, while the mayor’s position will be held for a two-year term. The incumbents are Donna Aderhold and Shelly Erickson for city council and Ken Castner for mayor.

Erickson was elected to office in 2021. Aderhold was first elected to office in 2015.

Castner was first elected as Homer Mayor in 2018.

Homer citizens interested in running must officially declare their candidacy with the Homer City Clerk’s Office.

The 2024 Regular City Election Candidate Filing Packet is available online or at the city clerk’s office at Homer City Hall, located at 491 E Pioneer Ave. and open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The packet includes the required forms, candidate qualifications, steps on how to file for candidacy and other pertinent information, according to the City of Homer website.

Electronic submissions are allowed, but original documents must be filed with the city clerk before the close of the filing period.

More city voting information can be found at cityofhomer-ak.gov/cityclerk/city-council-candidate-filing-period-open-august-1-15.

For other questions, contact the Homer City Clerk’s office at 907-235-3130.

Seward

Two Seward City Council seats, both for three-year terms expiring in October 2027, will be up for election this year.

The incumbents are Vice Mayor John Osenga and council member Mike Calhoon.

According to the City of Seward’s website, any qualified voter living within the Seward city limits for at least one year prior to Aug. 15 may file a declaration of candidacy for one of the two available council seats.

Candidate filing packets are available in the clerk’s office, located at in the City Hall building at 410 Adams Street, or online at cityofseward.us/home/showpublisheddocument/4336.

Completed packets must be filed in person with the city clerk’s office during regular office hours by Thursday, Aug. 15. The clerk’s office will not accept applications outside of the posted hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For questions concerning candidate filing or any other aspect of the election, contact the city clerk’s office at 907-224-4007.

School Board

There are three seats on the KPBSD Board of Education to be filled this election, all for three-year terms through October 2027.

The District 5 seat, representing Sterling, is on the ballot for the second time in as many years. Incumbent Kelley Cizek last year won a one-year term to finish out the term of Jennifer Waller, who resigned in 2022. This year the seat will be up for the standard three-year term.

The District 2 seat, representing Kenai, and District 8 seat, representing Homer, will also be filled this year. Incumbents Matt Morse and Tim Daugharty hold those seats. Morse has been on the school board since 2018. Daugharty has been on the school board since 2021.

Candidacy forms and the candidate manual are available online at kpb.us under the Assembly and Clerk’s Office page, then “Current Election Information” under the “Elections” sub-menu.

For further questions, contact the borough clerk’s office at assemblyclerk@kpb.us or by calling 907-714-2160 or 907-714-VOTE (8683).