About 300 Wrangell voters took to the polls in Tuesday’s municipal elections.
Preliminary results show that Proposition Two narrowly passed, which makes Wrangell elected officials exempt from state financial disclosure laws. Proposition One also passed, which finalizes the end of the Thomas Bay Power Authority.
The election maintained the status quo in local government. All incumbent candidates were re-elected to their positions.
In the contested school board race, Aleisha Mollen and Tammy Groshong were re-elected to another three years on the school board with just over 200 votes each. Rolland Howell received about 180 votes.
In an earlier interview, Aleisha Mollen said the biggest priority for the school board will be absorbing state budget cuts.
“And I think we need to start looking at how we can bring more money into the schools rather than starting to say, ‘Okay, what’s the next thing that gets cut,’” Mollen said.
Pam McCloskey was elected to the one-year unexpired term on the school board. She is a newcomer to the school board.
Maxlyn Wiederspohn is another newcomer. She was elected to a four-year term on the Wrangell Medical Center Board of Directors. Woody Wilson was re-elected to his seat on the hospital board.
Becky Rooney and David Powell were re-elected to the borough assembly for three-year terms. Write-in candidate Christie Jamieson fell short of Rooney and Powell by about 170 votes.
Clay Hammer and John Martin were re-elected to the Port Commission.
Voter turnout was about the same as last year’s local election.
Wrangell resident Chris Johnson said he voted this year because he believes it is his civic duty.
“I just wanted to make sure that they have a good turnout,” Johnson said. “Because I can’t stand to see 15 percent, or 20 percent, or even less voting. It feels like there are some important issues here and important people who are going to take their time to run, so I should take my time to vote.”
The borough assembly will certify the election results next Monday after absentee ballots are counted.