It’s shaping up to be a competitive year for candidates running for local public office. The filing period to run for seats on the Sitka Assembly and the Sitka School Board closed on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. (8-7-20).
Eight people are running for the two assembly seats being vacated by members Steven Eisenbeisz and Richard Wein, whose three-year terms end this fall.
Steve Lee and Leo Jimmy threw their hats in the ring shortly after the candidate filing period opened in July. Then, on Friday, Frederick Olsen Jr., Crystal Duncan, Rebecca Himschoot, Marshall Albertson, Amy Bethune, and Diana Dapcevich all filed to run.
There’s a two way race for the mayor’s chair between incumbent Gary Paxton and deputy mayor Steven Eisenbeisz.
Three people are running for two open seats on the Sitka School Board. Blossom Twitchell and Andrew Hames were recently appointed to temporary school board terms after Dionne Brady-Howard and Elias Erickson stepped down this summer. Hames and Twitchell have both filed to run for full terms, as has Cass Pook who has 18 years of Sitka School Board experience but lost her seat in a close 3-way race two years ago.
Raven News has offered interviews to all candidates, and will publish those interviews along with candidate statements and questionnaires in the coming weeks. In early September, we’ll publish the “2020 KCAW Election Hub” as a central place for voters to learn more about each candidate.
The municipal election is Tuesday, October 6.
