Newly elected office holders sworn in

Members of the Wrangell Borough Assembly met Monday at a special midday session to formally approve election results certified by the Borough Canvass Board on Oct. 9.

The official results included votes cast at the Nolan Center on election day, Oct. 7, as well as assisted and absentee ballots cast prior which were counted by the Canvass Board.

For one 2-year term as Mayor, David Jack received 304 votes and Kipha Valvoda received 75.

For two 3-year terms on the Assembly, Mark Mitchell received 271 votes and Stephen Prysunka received 329. For a 1-year unexpired Assembly term, Becky Rooney received 348 votes.

For a 3-year term on the Port Commission, Walter Moorhead received 352 votes.

For one 3-year term on the School Board, Susan Eagle received 258 votes and Aleisha Mollen received 124. Besides the race for mayor, the School Board position was the only contested office during the election.

For two 4-year terms on the Wrangell Medical Center Board, Beth Blake received 300 votes and Cori Robinson received 315.

At Monday's meeting, Jack, Mitchell, Prysunka, Rooney and Moorhead were present to take their oaths of office.

Certificates of service were presented to outgoing office-holders: Brennan Eagle of the Port Commission, Megan Clark of the Hospital Board, and Assembly member Maxi Wiederspohn, who was present to receive her certificate.

This year's local election had a particularly low turnout, about 23 percent of those registered. Because no persons presented themselves to be write-in candidates, all write-in votes were not counted.

Only 392 votes of 399 cast were counted. Three votes were considered spoiled, and a further three questioned votes were deemed uncountable by the Canvass Board as the voters had only registered within 30 days of the election.