Voters will decide on contested school board, borough assembly races

Wrangell voters in Tuesday’s election will decide on three borough assembly seats, three school board members and three port commission members.

Of the nine races, five are uncontested — unless a write-in candidate declares by Friday — and the other four present voters with a choice of candidates.

The polls will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Nolan Center.

People need to bring their state-issued voter ID card, said Kim Lane, borough clerk. If voters don’t have their ID card, they will be allowed to cast their ballot if the election clerks recognize them by name or, if not, they can cast a questioned ballot that will be verified and then counted before the election results are certified, Lane said.

Residents also can vote early, coming to City Hall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays through Monday.

Early voting is allowed for people who will be out of town on election day, otherwise busy, or simply “any reason at all,” Lane said. “I have several people who don’t want to be out on election day,” risking any exposure to groups of people and possible COVID-19 infections.

There are four candidates running for two, three-year terms on the school board; the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s election will win the seats: Angela Allen, Alex Angerman, Brittani Robbins and Elizabeth Roundtree.

The other open seat on the five-member school board is a one-year term, with Julia Ostrander and Jessica Whitaker competing for the job.

None of the three school board members whose terms expire this year — Aaron Angerman, Cyni Crary and Patty Gilbert — are running for reelection.

Three seats are open on the borough assembly, with an uncontested race for two, three-year terms. Jim DeBord and Bob Dalrymple are the only two names on the ballot, unless a write-in declares by the deadline. Dalrymple currently serves on the assembly; DeBord previously served as an assembly member but did not seek reelection in 2019.

There is a ballot contest for one year of an unexpired term on the assembly between Don McConachie Sr. and David Powell. McConachie previously served on the assembly, and Powell is currently a member.

Incumbent Terry Courson is not seeking reelection.

There are three seats on the port commission up for election, and all are uncontested. Incumbent Frank Roppel is running for a one-year term, and incumbent John Martin and newcomer Chris Buness are running for the two open three-year terms.

Port commission member Brian Merritt is not seeking reelection.

This year’s ballot is one page; there are no bond issues or ballot propositions to decide.

Preliminary voting results will be announced after the polls close election night, Lane said, with the canvass board to meet Oct. 7 in assembly chambers to count questioned and absentee votes and then certify the final results.

The borough will count write-ins only if individuals declare their candidacy by the close of business Friday, Lane said. Otherwise, undeclared write-ins will go uncounted.