The filing period to run for local office opened on Monday, July 18.  

For the next three weeks, Sitkans can file to run for a seat on the assembly or school board. Two assembly seats are opening up this fall: Kevin Knox’s and Thor Christianson’s three-year terms expire this year. Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz’s two-year term is also up.

Three seats on the Sitka School Board are up for grabs. Paul Rioux’s three year term expires this year. One two-year seat and a one-year seat will also open up, after being temporarily filled earlier this summer by Tristan Guevin and Mitch Mork, who have both said they plan to run in the election this October.

KCAW News will connect with candidates as they file, and we’ll post our initial interviews below. In early September, we’ll publish detailed bios of the candidates, and their answers to some of the pressing policy questions facing municipal government this year.

Filing for municipal office in Sitka closes on Friday, August 5 at 5 p.m. Candidate packets are available from the municipal clerk on the third floor of City Hall. For general election information, click here. Sitka’s municipal election is Tuesday, October 4.

Filings to date: (Updated 8-15-22 at 4:00 PM)

Mayor:

Incumbent mayor Steven Eisenbeisz filed to run for re-election on July 18. Listen to our initial interview with Eisenbeisz here:
Assembly member Kevin Mosher filed to run for the Mayor’s chair on July 19. Listen to our initial interview with Mosher here.
Former mayor and assembly member Valorie Nelson filed to run for the mayor’s chair on August 1. Listen to our interview with Nelson here.

Assembly:

Kris Chinalski filed to run for a seat on the Sitka Assembly on August 3. Listen to our initial interview with Chinalski here.
Assembly member Thor Christianson filed to run for re-election on August 1. Listen to our initial interview with Christianson here.

Ryan Herbert filed for a seat on the Sitka Assembly on August 5. Listen to our interview with Herbert here.
Former assembly member Richard Wein filed to run for office on August 3. Listen to our initial interview with Wein here.
Chris Ystad filed to run for assembly seats on August 3. Listen to our interview with Ystad here.

Ryan Herbert also filed for a seat on the Sitka Assembly- photo forthcoming.

School Board:

School board member Tristan Guevin filed to run for a term on the Sitka School Board on July 25. Read our initial interview with Guevin here.
School board member Mitch Mork filed to run for a term on the board on August 5 (Interview forthcoming).