More than a dozen people have filed to run for local office this year. Monday was the filing deadline for candidates interested in running for seats on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and school board, as well as for Kenai City Council.
This is the first year peninsula voters will cast ballots in November, rather than October. Last year, voters supported a proposition aligning local and state election days.
Incumbent Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche is running unopposed for reelection. He took over the borough’s top job during a special mayoral election in 2023 and was elected for a full term later that year.
In both instances, Micciche received more than 50% of votes cast, meaning the race did not advance to a runoff election. Borough code requires mayors to be elected with a simple majority. Because he’s running unopposed this year, the borough will not hold a runoff election.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly
It’s another unusually busy election year for the borough assembly. Five seats will go before voters, instead of the usual three, for the second year in a row.
Up in the regular cycle are the assembly’s District 2 - Kenai, District 5 - Sterling/Funny River and District 8 - Homer seats. The candidates elected to those seats will serve full three-year terms. Incumbent candidates Ryan Tunseth and Dale Eicher are running unopposed for reelection to the district’s Kenai and Sterling/Funny River seats, respectively.
Kelly Cooper is not running for reelection to the assembly’s Homer seat. Three others have filed to run for the seat, including Theo Noomah, Larry Anthony and Matt Bullard.
Voters in the assembly’s Kalifornsky and Central districts will also pick a new, temporary representative. Those seats are open following the resignation of former assembly members Scott Griebel in Kalifornsky and Michael Hicks in Kasilof.
The assembly has already appointed a former replacement to the Kailfornsky seat. Brent Hibbert will serve until the election. Whoever is elected to the seat in November will finish out Griebel’s term, which expires in 2027. Two candidates have filed to run, including Lisa McDonald and Teresa Mullican.
Only one person – Nate Berga – has filed to run for the central seat. If elected, he’ll serve the rest of Hick’s term, which expires in 2028.
Board of Education
Several familiar faces are leaving the school board – none of the three incumbents are running for reelection. All three seats are for full, three-year terms.
Jon Watson and Laura Rhyner are vying to replace Penny Vadla for the board’s District 4 seat. Vadla has served on the board for almost two decades. Todd Brigham is running to replace Jason Tauriainen on the board’s Nikiski seat. Tauriainen currently serves as board president and was first elected in 2017. Charlie Redfern is running to replace Dianne Macrae, who was elected in 2023.
City of Kenai
In Kenai, voters will pick between three candidates for two city council seats. Incumbent council member Phil Daniel is running for reelection, while Victoria Askin is not.
Vying for the other open position are Alex Douthit and Tim Navarre. Douthit is a former Kenai council member who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year. Navarre is also a former city council member who has also served on the borough assembly and school board.
Election Day is Nov. 3 and the voter registration deadline is Oct. 4. Absentee in-person voting starts Oct. 19.
Editorial note: Laura Rhyner serves on KDLL's board of directors.
