Two seats on the Utqiaġvik City Council are up for grabs this fall, and early unofficial results show a tight race in one contest where candidates are currently separated by a single vote.
A total of 77 ballots, 61 absentee and 16 questioned, remain uncounted, according to the unofficial results.
Two candidates are neck-and-neck in the city council race for Seat E: Heather Hopson has 339 votes and Frieda Kaleak has 338, each having 49% of the vote. The remaining uncounted ballots will decide the winner.
[Experienced local politicians and new faces run for North Slope Borough and Utqiaġvik city elections]
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In the Seat F race, Sarah M. Tua’i holds a clearer path to victory. With 394 votes, or 58%, Tua’i is leading opponent George “Payuk” Pimental Jr. who has 267 votes, or 39%. Even if many of the uncounted votes swing in Pimental’s favor, Tua’i will likely maintain her lead.
If Tua’i wins the seat, she has said she wants to focus on overseeing alcohol and tobacco taxes, improving the local DMV and creating more recreation opportunities, especially for children and teenagers. In her career, Tua’i has been serving the Barrow School Advisory Council for over nine years and has worked at the North Slope Borough Mayor’s Office, Grants Division.