Candidates, election staff busy ahead of mayoral runoff

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Voters will decide who the next leader of Anchorage will be during Tuesday’s mayoral runoff election.

Both mayoral candidates — Mayor Dave Bronson and challenger and former Anchorage Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance — were waving signs Monday to encourage people to vote for them, while Municipal Election Center staff are busy processing ballots.

The center had received more than 40,000 ballots ahead of Tuesday’s election, according to William Northrop, the municipality’s acting elections administrator.

“The biggest difference is the amount of voters right now,” Northrop said. “We’ve definitely seen an increase in the number of ballot return envelopes coming back, so that’s the biggest difference we’re seeing right now.”

There was greater turnout in 2021′s mayoral runoff election compared to the regular municipal election, Northrop said. Last month’s municipal election saw 73,022 ballots cast altogether.

It’s possible that there could be more than 40,000 additional ballots turned in during Tuesday’s election, said Northrop, who also has advice for those who want to vote on Tuesday.

“Don’t wait,” Northrop said. “Get out and vote now. If you can’t vote now, you want to make sure that you vote by 8 p.m. on election night.”

Northrop said if people are voting by mail, they can walk their ballot into the post office and have a worker hand cancel or hand stamp it.

Instructions on what to do if a mistake is made on a ballot or a ballot is returned because of verification issues are available on the elections website.

In person-voting is available for those who misplaced their ballot, never received one, or need a replacement is available at Anchorage Vote Centers, which are located at City Hall (632 W. 6th Avenue), the Loussac Library (3600 Denali Street), and the Eagle River Town Center (12001 Business Boulevard, Community Room 170).

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