*This is a developing story and will be updated.
Happy Election Day, Kenai Peninsula!
Today Alaskans around the state cast ballots in the state primary, where they narrow down the candidates that will appear on the General Election ballot this November. Live election results will be on our website later this evening.
On the central Kenai Peninsula, voters are picking their top candidates for state Senate and House, as well as in the U.S. House race. The top four vote getters advance to the November 5 General Election, but all local races have four candidates or less.
In the two local state House races, people are casting ballots in races for District 7, which covers Kenai and Soldotna, and for District 8, which covers the northern Kenai Peninsula. Voters are picking between two Republicans in both races.
In District 7, incumbent Rep. Justin Ruffridge faces a challenge from former Rep. Ron Gillham. In District 8, newcomers Bill Elam and John Hillyer are facing off.
District D covers the northern half of the Kenai Peninsula, and the state senate race has voters picking between Republican challenger Ben Carpenter, Independent candidate Andy Cizek Democratic candidate Tina Wegener, and Republican incumbent Jesse Bjorkman.
Konrad Jackson is Bjorkman’s chief of staff during the legislative session, but is a volunteer during campaign season.
“Obviously, everybody wants to come out ahead in the polls at the end of the day, but we'll see what happens,” Jackson said. “This seems to me to be kind of an expensive hole, an expensive indication of how people are feeling right now.”
Today, he was one of ten or so people waving signs at the intersection of the Kenai Spur Highway and Bridge Access Road.
Jim Heazlett was waving signs for Ben Carpenter. He says he’s looking for someone more conservative than Bjorkman.
“I really believe in what Ben stands for,” Heazlett said. “He's a conservative, and so am I. He's fiscally responsible, and I like that, so I think he's going to be a great fit in the Senate. And we need more conservative people in the Senate. So that's why I'm supporting him.”
Both Bjorkman and Carpenter were also out, hoping to energize voters. Both said they were voting for themselves.
“I just hope that we get a good turnout from across the district, and lots of people participate in the process and the ability to cast their vote,” Bjorkman said.
Carpenter said he’s already thinking about the next election.
“I’m already looking forward to the November election,” he said. “It's what I'm focused on. Whatever happens here, happens, and then tomorrow we're going to wake up and work towards November.”
Polls are open until 8 p.m. this evening. The first round of results are expected to roll in after that.
The Alaska Division of Elections has a primary election hub for voters to find their polling location, learn more about election night reporting, and find results at elections.alaska.gov.
