Wrangell voters pick Klein, approve measures

Wrangell voters joined millions of other Americans Tuesday to cast their say into the electoral boxes. Nationally, evening results indicated the Republican Party had made gains in both the House and Senate, securing its hold on one and capturing the other.

Unofficial results had the Borough's District 36 residents voting along Republican lines. For its Alaska House representative, Wrangell chose Chere Klein by 471 votes to the 273 of non-affiliated candidate Dan Ortiz.

For governor, Wrangell chose incumbent Sean Parnell over the combined Bill Walker and Byron Mallott ticket, 447 votes to 247. Libertarian Carolyn Clift received 24 votes and Alaska Constitution Party candidate J.R. Myers 23.

For its U.S. Senator, Wrangell voted for Dan Sullivan with 438 votes over Democratic incumbent Mark Begich, with 240 votes. Libertarian Party candidate Mark Fish received 42 votes, and unaffiliated candidate Ted Gianoutsos got 25.

And for U.S. Representative, incumbent Don Young received 522 votes over Democrat challenger Forrest Dunbar's 165, with Libertarian Jim McDermott receiving 54.

Wrangell voters also said "yes" to the three ballot measures. Measure 2, legalizing marijuana, saw 424 votes in favor to 316 opposed.

To increase Alaska's minimum wage and affix it to future cost of living adjustments, local voters were overwhelmingly in support by 542 votes to 192.

And 528 voters supported an act providing further legislative protection to Bristol Bay's salmon fisheries from the effects of large-scale metallic sulfide mining, over 201 opposed.

For judgeships, Wrangell voters also favored retaining Alaska Supreme Court Justice Craig Stowers, First Judicial District Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez and District Court Judge Kevin Miller for respective ten-, six- and four-year terms.

By midnight, 94 percent of Alaska state precincts had reported in, suggesting wins for Young and Sullivan and a tight race between Walker and Parnell, with Walker in a slight lead.

In the race between Ortiz and Klein, district-wide voting indicated the non-affiliated candidate held a slight lead, with 50.03 percent of the vote over Klein's 49.66. Just 19 votes separate the two candidates with absentee and early votes yet to be counted.

State-wide voters have also so far aligned with local voters in approving the three ballot measures, though the vote on legalizing marijuana was close with 52 percent voting "yes" and 48 percent opposing.

The votes gathered Tuesday night only reflect those cast on election day. All other ballots had yet to be figured by the Sentinel's evening press time.