Local elections are approaching in Bristol Bay. The City of Dillingham, the Lake and Peninsula Borough, and the Bristol Bay Borough will all hold local elections on Oct. 7.
In Dillingham, two city council seats are on the ballot, and both are contested. For one seat, Triston Chaney is running against incumbent Bert Luckhurst. For the second seat, Jean Barrett is running against incumbent Michael Bennett.
Three people are running uncontested for three seats on the Dillingham City School Board: Cassie MacDonald, previous school board president Heather Savo, and Chrissie Greene.
Candidates may still run as write-ins. To qualify, they must submit a declaration with the city clerk by 1 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Absentee in-person voting opens Sept. 22 at City Hall. Voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. business days until Oct. 6. On Election Day, polls will open at City Hall at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
For the Lake and Peninsula Borough election, four incumbents are running uncontested for re-election. For the two borough assembly seats, members Michelle Ravenmoon of Kokhanok and Scott W. Anderson of Port Heiden are on the ballot for re-election.
And on the borough school board, Austin Shangin of Perryville and Margie M. Olympic of Iliamna are both running to maintain their seats.
The entire borough election will be conducted by mail. Borough officials say ballots were sent out to voters. Completed ballots must be postmarked by Oct. 7 and arrive at the clerk’s office by Nov. 7.
In the Bristol Bay Borough, three candidates—Robert Babiak Jr., Pete Caruso, and Michael Peters—are running for two open borough assembly seats. The two candidates with the most votes will fill the seats.
The Bristol Bay school board elections will include two contested races. Joyce Anderson, Freddie Bragg, and Sarah Elizabeth Lang are competing for a three-year seat. Stephannie Blatchford and Sheri Onate are vying for a two-year seat.
Voters may vote by mail by requesting an absentee ballot by Sept. 30. All mail absentee ballots must be received by the clerk by the end of the business day,
Friday, Oct. 10. Absentee early voting will take place Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 22 through Oct. 6 at the Borough building in Naknek.
The polls will be open on election day at the borough building in Naknek, the King Salmon Village Council Building, and the South Naknek Recreation Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 7.
