Polls are open in communities around Bristol Bay until 8 p.m. tonight. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by today.
Local elections in Dillingham, the Bristol Bay Borough, and the Lake and Peninsula Borough are underway. Election day is October 6.
On Election Day:
People can vote in person on election day in Dillingham and the Bristol Bay Borough. Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. That’s also the last day to postmark election ballots in all three municipalities.
If you're mailing in your ballot, you can ensure that it is valid by asking the post office clerk to postmark it when you go to the post office to send it off.
Election day is not the only day to vote in person this year! Here’s when and how you can vote, and how to do so safely.
Dillingham:
People can vote early or absentee in person at City Hall from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. through October 5 by appointment only.
Once you receive a by-mail ballot, you must ensure it is postmarked by October 6. By-mail ballots must be received by the city before the canvass committee meeting at 12 p.m. on October 8, so it's best to send them in as soon as possible.
Find out more on the City of Dillingham election page
Polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. On election day, all social distancing measures will be in place, so voters should come to City Hall alone if possible, allow for additional time and pay attention to the social distancing markers on the floor.
Booths will get sanitized and pens will be provided to each person. Hand sanitizer will be available, and voters should wear a mask.
Three people are running for two City Council seats. Incumbent Kaleb Westfall and Aksel Buholm are both running for one seat, and incumbent Curt Armstrong is running unopposed for his current seat. All are three-year terms.
Dillingham Municipal Election 2020: City Council
Three candidates are running for the two seats on Dillingham’s school board — Kaleb Westfall and Karl Clark are running for the same seat, and Jenny Bennis is running unopposed.
Dillingham Municipal Election 2020: School Board
Bristol Bay Borough:
People can vote in person early and absentee now through October 5 at the borough assembly room from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Masks and hand sanitizer are provided. A person with a disability may vote through a personal representative through October 5 at the borough assembly room. Call the borough clerk with questions at (907) 246-4224, extension 308.
Find out more on the Bristol Bay Borough election page
By-mail ballots must be postmarked by election day, and the clerk must receive them by October 9.
Polls will be open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on election day. Polling locations are the King Salmon Village Council Building, the Bristol Bay Borough Assembly Room in Naknek, and the South Naknek Recreation Hall.
Two candidates — David Lax and Randolph Zimin — are running for the borough mayor's seat. There are also two candidates running for the open assembly seat — Kendra Gottschalk is challenging incumbent Russell Phelps. All are three-year terms
Bristol Bay Borough candidates pitch experience and new perspective in runs for mayor and assembly
Two school board seats are also on the ballot. Three candidates are running. Sarah Mitchell and Rebecca Hamon are incumbents, and Floyd Wilson is also running. The two candidates with the most votes will be appointed to the board.
Bristol Bay Borough School Board incumbents Mitchell and Hamon talk about re-election bids
Lake and Peninsula Borough:
The Lake and Peninsula municipal election is exclusively by-mail, and all registered voters should have received a ballot by now. Ballots must be postmarked by October 6. No late ballots will be accepted, so the sooner voters send them out, the better.
Find out more on the Lake and Pen Borough election page
Two assembly seats are on the ballot for the Lake and Pen Borough this year. Evelynn Trefon of Newhalen is challenging incumbent Randolph Alvarez of Igiugig.
Igiugig incumbent and Newhalen challenger running for a seat on the Lake and Pen Borough Assembly
Three seats are open in the Lake and Peninsula Borough’s school board election. Beth Hill of Kokhanok is challenging Glen Alsworth, Jr., of Port Alsworth for one of the seats. The other candidates are unopposed. All seats are three-year terms.
Read more about the candidates here:
School Board incumbent Glen Alsworth Jr. stresses teamwork to address new challenges in Lake and Pen
Lake and Pen School Board candidate Beth Hill wants to integrate culture into curriculum
City of Aleknagik
Voting is in-person at the Aleknagik City Hall.
One person at a time will be allowed in to vote, and masks are required.
There are two city council seats on the ballot. Both are three-year terms, and both candidates are running unopposed.
Seat F: Delilah Andrews
Seat G: Vera Andrews
City of Chignik Bay
Voting is in-person at the Community Hall. Voters will be required to wear masks, and social distancing measures of six feet will be in place.
Two City Council seats are on the ballot for Chignik Bay. Both are three-year terms. Two candidates are running, and both are unopposed.
Seat A: James Brewer
Seat F: Guy Ashby
City of Egegik
Voting is in-person at Egegik City Office. Voters can use hand sanitizer and wear masks if they choose.
Two City Council seats are on Egegik’s ballot:
Seat B: Gerald F. Olsen
Seat D: Debbie Olsen
Sara K. Yost
City of Manokotak
Voting is in-person at the Manokotak City Office. Polls are open from 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Upon entering the office, people can take a mask from a mask dispenser, and hand sanitizer will be available as well. Seven people at a time are allowed into the building.
Three seats are on the ballot for Manokotak. All candidates are running unopposed.
Seat E - two-year term: Diane Gamechuck
Seat F - one-year term: Arlene Franklin
Seat G - one-year term: Erline Pat
City of Togiak
Voting is in-person at the Togiak City Office. Masks and social distancing are required.
City of New Stuyahok
Voting is in-person at the New Stuyahok City Hall. About three voters at a time will be allowed in. Masks are mandatory. If voters do not have masks, they can get one at City Hall, along with gloves and hand sanitizer.
There are four seats on New Stuyahok’s ballot. Three candidates are running for seat D, one person is running unopposed for seat E, and there are no candidates running for Seat F or seat G.
Seat D - two-year term: Randall Hastings
Justin Askoak
Mary Andrew
Seat E - two-year term: Evan Wonhola
Seat F: open
Seat G: open
City of Port Heiden
In-person voting is at Ray's Place in Port Heiden. Masks, gloves and hand sanitizer will be provided.
Three seats are up for election in Port Heiden. So far, one person has declared candidacy.
Seat E - two-year term: open
Seat F - one-year term: open
Seat G - one year term: Bud Anderson
If your community is holding elections but isn't listed here, give us a call at 907-842-2200.
Contact the author at isabelle@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
