Haines voters at the Chilkat Center Tuesday. (Emily Files)
It’s municipal election day in Haines and Skagway. You still have a chance to get out and vote – polls close at 8 o’clock tonight.
Both communities are voting for two vacant borough assembly seats and two school board seats.
In Haines, it’s an unusually crowded race for assembly. Six candidates are vying for the two positions. They include incumbent Diana Lapham, who is finishing up her first term on the assembly, and five challengers: Ryan Cook, Leonard Dubber, Judy Erekson, Heather Lende and Tom Morphet.
It’s an uncontested race for two spots on the Haines School Board. Incumbents Lisa Schwartz and Sarah Swinton hope to continue serving on the board.
But in Skagway, the school board race is competitive. Three candidates are running for two seats. They include longtime board member Darren Belisle, Mark Smith, who was appointed to a vacant seat a year ago, and newcomer Jaime Bricker.
There’s a four-way contest for two Skagway Borough Assembly seats. But just three of those candidates’ names will appear on the ballot: incumbent Tim Cochran and newcomers Orion Hanson and David Brena. The fourth contender is a last-minute addition who decided just a few days ago to run as a write-in candidate. Spencer Morgan’s term on the assembly ends this week, and he hopes to be re-elected to that position. Morgan filed his write-in paperwork on Friday.
Skagway voters will also determine the fate of a $6 million bond for a senior center and housing facility. The bond proposition is the only ballot question this year.
Polling stations are City Hall in Skagway and the Chilkat Center and Klehini Valley Fire Hall in Haines.
KHNS will broadcast live election results coverage tonight starting around 8 p.m. We’ll also post updates to khns.org, and the KHNS Facebook page.
