Anchorage Assembly Races Already Changing

 

Friday was the deadline to file for local office in Anchorage, but the deadline for filed candidates to drop out and have their names taken off the ballot isn’t until today at 5 PM.

The period between the two deadlines allows local power brokers and political parties to ensure there aren’t two candidates of similar political perspective drawing from the same voter pool, making either of their elections less likely.

That situation existed in several races when the Friday deadline passed and but by Monday a few candidates had already reconsidered and dropped out.

In the Chugiak/Eagle River assembly race, two righties, former Assemblyman and Senator Fred Dyson and John Brassell are currently facing one Democrat, Gretchen Wehmhoff after left-of-center candidate Stephany Jeffers dropped out yesterday.

Similarly, in the East Anchorage assembly race, righty Kevin Smestad dropped out yesterday. That creates a one-on-one race between righty Don Jones and incumbent lefty Assemblyman Pete Petersen.

The Midnight Sun will let you know exactly how the races stand when today’s drop deadline passes. Right now, here are the major candidates for each race:

Chugiak/ Eagle River

Righty — John Brassell
Righty — Fred Dyson
Lefty — Gretchen Wehmhoff
Lefty — Stephany Jeffers (Withdrawn)

Downtown

Righty — Chris Cox
Righty — Warren West
Lefty — Chris Constant
Lefty — David Dunsmore

East Anchorage

Righty — Kevin Smestad  (Withdrawn)
Righty — Don Jones
Lefty — Pete Petersen

West Anchorage

Righty — David Nees
Lefty — Tim Steele

South Anchorage

Righty — Albert Fogle
Lefty — Suzanne LaFrance

Midtown

Righty — Don Smith
Lefty — Felix Rivera
Lefty — Marcus Sanders
Who Knows What He Is — Ron Alleva

School Board Seat C

Rightie — Dave Donley
Rightie — Alisha Hilde
Libertarian — Tasha Hotch
Lefty — Christopher Jamison
Lefty — James Smallwood

School Board Seat D

Lefty — Albert Berke
Lefty — Andy Holleman
Lefty — Patrick McCormack
Righty — Kay Schuster