School board candidate Kelly Lessens is still ahead with 38.8% of the vote, but she has just a 0.36% margin over opponent Judy Eledge. A recount must be conducted if a candidate wins by less than 0.5%.
The complaint will be investigated and reviewed by the Alaska Public Offices Commission at a regularly scheduled hearing.
Most ballots postmarked by April 6 have until Friday to make it to the elections center.
Dave Bronson was still leading the mayor’s race, although he is set to face Forrest Dunbar in a runoff. Kelly Lessens and Pat Higgins are hanging on to their leads in two school board races.
Mike Robbins called Dave Bronson “the last man standing of the conservative candidates” and said he “must win,” while Bill Falsey said Forrest Dunbar “is hands down the most qualified candidate entering this runoff.”
Anchorage mayoral candidate Dave Bronson is maintaining his lead over Forrest Dunbar in the mayor’s race. The two are headed to the runoff on May 11.
An “incredibly divisive” political atmosphere played into the decision not to endorse Dunbar or Bronson, according to the union’s president.
Kelly Lessens’ lead over Judy Eledge is shrinking for school board seat B, and Pat Higgins’ lead over Sami Graham for seat E has also gotten smaller as more ballots have been counted.
Saturday’s update showed Dave Bronson maintaining a lead over Forrest Dunbar in the election for Anchorage mayor, with the two headed for a runoff on May 11.
The results of the election will not be official until certified by the Anchorage Assembly on April 20, but both candidates are gearing up for a runoff.
Officials say a flood of last minute ballots and in-person voters set them behind in one key part of the ballot-counting process.
None of the 15 mayoral candidates are likely to gain the 45%-plus-one lead required to win the election outright, meaning a runoff is likely.
There were 10 other propositions on the ballot, and in early results, all but Proposition 1 were passing. However, Anchorage election officials had received but not yet counted a large number of ballots Tuesday evening.
School Board President Elisa Vakalis and member Alisha Hilde were behind in their races, although a large number of ballots remained uncounted when initial results were posted Tuesday evening.
Just over 10,600 ballots have been counted as of Tuesday night, a significantly lower count compared with the number included in preliminary election results during previous mail-in elections.
Voter turnout last week had been on track to be one of the lowest since the city switched to the vote-by-mail system in 2018. But a rush of ballots over the weekend has voter numbers up, according to an election official.
Ballot envelopes must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 6 to be counted. Voters can also drop off ballots in one of 18 secure drop boxes around the city.
Assembly chair Felix Rivera faces a recall vote on the ballot for this April 6 municipal election.
The city is seeking $1.84 million in annual funding to replace aging technology and supply officers with body cameras. The money would come through a yearly property tax increase if voters approve.
Some campaigns think the high number of mayoral candidates is leading to many undecided voters.
