Haines Borough certified election results.
The results of Haines’ special recall election were certified Tuesday night.
The effort to unseat Assembly members Heather Lende, Tresham Gregg and Tom Morphet failed, with about 60 percent voting against the recall.
On the question to recall Gregg, 59 percent were opposed.
Sixty-two percent voted against recalling Lende.
And 58 percent voted to keep Morphet in office.
The three assembly members were accused of misconduct in office. Don Turner Jr. led the recall effort. He spoke at Tuesday’s assembly meeting.
“I hope that we all learned something in this process that we went through,” Turner said. “I know I have. I think that we all need to follow borough charter and the borough codes.”
Resident Thom Ely said he hoped Haines could move past the division of the recall.
“I believe that the results of the recall vote show that the majority of the community wants to move past the divisiveness and rancor that embroiled us last spring through several decisions, the hire of our manager,” Ely said. “It’s nice to see all of you up here in a much more relaxed state of mind and I hope that will continue on through the election this fall.”
The special election saw a higher turnout that the past several regular elections, at 48 percent. That’s the strongest turnout since 2011, which was the year of the last recall election.
The borough saw a record number of early voters. More than 400 people cast ballots early in the recall election. That is the largest number since consolidation.
Morphet, Lende and Gregg will be joined by three newly-elected assembly members this fall. Gregg’s term expires in 2018. Lende and Morphet will serve until 2019.
