*Editorial note: Election results are as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 at 9:44 p.m.
The Seward City Council could get a new member, per unofficial results from Tuesday’s municipal election. Early results show Seward voters reelecting Robert Barnwell to his council seat, as well as newcomer Matt Cope.
The results, published by the city last night, are unofficial and do not include 74 uncounted absentee, questioned and special needs ballots.
In all, more than 300 people voted in Seward’s municipal election. On the ballot were five candidates vying for two open council seats. Among ballots cast on Election Day, Barnwell was the highest vote-getter, receiving 187 votes. Matt Cope received the next-highest amount of votes.
If those standings hold, Barnwell and Cope will win their seats. Rhonda Hubbard trails Cope by just eight votes, followed by Victor Maddox and Julie Crites. Crites is a current city council member who was elected in 2023. The city also counted two votes for write-in candidates.
| Candidate | Votes received |
| Robert Barnwell | 187 |
| Matt Cope | 147 |
| Rhonda Hubbard | 135 |
| Victor Maddox | 100 |
| Julie Crites | 64 |
| Write-ins | 2 |
Barnwell is a longtime Seward resident who has served on the council since 2022. He’s a retired teacher and current editor of The Seward Folly.
In a candidate statement Barnwell says he wants to be part of the big changes happening in Seward, from its new cruise ship dock, to the U.S. Coast Guard expansion.
“Critical decisions are being made that demand a working knowledge I've acquired over the last few years,” he wrote. “I'm a good listener and I'm not afraid to speak up as needed.”
Cope is a co-owner and founder of two businesses in Seward – Salted Roots and the Flamingo Lounge – and serves on the board of the Seward Chamber of Commerce and the Seward Community Health Center.
In his candidate statement, Cope highlighted responsible spending, housing development and infrastructure as priorities.
“I believe in listening first, doing the homework, asking difficult questions, and making thoughtful, informed, balanced decisions,” he wrote.”I hope to bring the perspective of young families and local business owners while representing our patchwork community as a whole.’
Seward’s canvass board is scheduled to convene Friday afternoon to review and count outstanding ballots. The Seward City Council is scheduled to certify the final results at its meeting next week.
