Four more candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for municipal office in Sitka.
Steven Eisenbeisz, who ran last year as a write-in candidate, filed for assembly about 90 minutes before today’s deadline. He missed winning a seat in that election by only 56 votes. Two other candidates, Lillian Feldpausch and Thor Christianson also filed just under the wire.
Feldpausch has run unsuccessfully before for school board. She currently holds a seat on the Sitka Tribal Council. Christianson has served twice previously on the assembly.
Orion Hughes-Knowles filed for mayor. Hughes-Knowles, who turned 26 on the filing deadline, will challenge one-term incumbent Mim McConnell.
With the addition of Eisenbeisz, Feldpausch, and Christianson, there are now a total of seven candidates running for two seats on the Sitka Assembly. Both Mike Reif and Pete Esquiro are stepping down.
The other assembly candidates are Dennie Daniels, Tristan Guevin, Richard Parmelee, and Aaron Wamsley.
The increased interest among candidates may signal a more interest among the voting public as well. Last year’s mostly-uncontested assembly race brought out less than half the number of voters of a typical municipal election.
Sitka’s school board race, however, is shaping up to be uncontested. Two-term incumbent Tim Fulton has filed for another term. Former school board member Tom Conley is vying for the seat being vacated by Tonia Rioux (REE-oo), who is leaving the board after serving one term.
The municipal election falls on October 7, a full month before the statewide and national elections.
