Challenger leads Soldotna mayor as Kenai Peninsula election counts continue

Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney trails challenger Chuck Winters, who wants to reverse the city's new sales tax increase, by 36 votes in unofficial returns from Tuesday's Kenai Peninsula elections.

Winters has 422 votes to Whitney's 386. Soldotna's count doesn't yet include absentee, questioned or special needs ballots, and the city hasn't published how many remain.

Other close races around the peninsula could still move too, especially in Homer, where about half the ballots haven't been counted.

Soldotna

Winters, president of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce according to his voter pamphlet entry, wrote: "I want to reverse the new sales tax increase and get back to the basics of living within our means." He also wrote that he "would have vetoed the recent tax resolutions."

The City Council passed the increase 5-1 on May 13, raising the city's general sales tax from 3%, unchanged since 1984, to 3.5%. Collection begins Jan. 1, 2027. With the Kenai Peninsula Borough's 3% sales tax, the combined general rate in Soldotna will be 6.5%.

The money is set aside for infrastructure, maintenance and related debt, an estimated $1.7 million a year, according to city work session materials. Linda F. Hutchings, who sponsored the increase, argued for acting early, writing that the city's financial trends "do not indicate financial distress."

The city's description of the office says Soldotna's mayor may vote in the case of a tie and has "limited veto power."

Whitney, who lists service as mayor since 2020 and on the council from 2013 to 2020, doesn't mention the tax in his pamphlet entry. He wrote that he wants to keep building on the progress the community has made, and named three projects: replacing the Sports Center's ice-making system, a traffic signal at the Sports Complex entrance and extending Homestead Lane to East Redoubt.

Both council members on the ballot voted for the increase. Dan Nelson leads Nicholas Conner 500 to 253 for Seat B, and Chera Wackler is unopposed with 684 votes.

Borough

Borough voters favor school board term limits, Proposition 1, 11,915 to 1,451. A member who serves two full terms in a row couldn't be reelected until 180 days had passed, with the first effect in the 2032 election. The Assembly sent the question to voters on a 9-0 vote.

Borough Mayor Peter Micciche, who is unopposed, has 11,428 votes, with 620 write-ins not yet resolved.

In Assembly races, Theo Noomah leads Larry Anthony 513 to 460 in District 8, Homer, a district that includes Homer's uncounted ballots. In District 1, Kalifornsky, Lisa McDonald leads Teresa Mullican 724 to 478.

In the only contested school board race, Jon Watson leads Laura Rhyner 655 to 578 for the Soldotna seat. Watson wrote, "I want to be a voice for conservative parents." Rhyner wrote that "schools are the heart of our communities, worthy of public investment."

Homer

Homer voters favor renewing the city's three-quarter percent sales tax for roads and trails, Proposition A, 754 to 255. The tax raises about $2.3 million a year and would otherwise end Dec. 31, 2027. The renewal runs through 2047.

Council member Shelly Erickson is unopposed for mayor with 862 votes. For two council seats, Caroline Venuti has 508 votes, Bradley Parsons 457 and Matt Bullard 382, a 75-vote gap for the second seat.

About half of Homer's ballots aren't in those totals yet. The city's preliminary certificate lists 1,086 regular voters, 1,031 absentee voters and 21 special needs voters, leaving about 1,052 ballots out of the count. Its canvass board counts them Nov. 6.

Kenai

Kenai voters favor a $75,000 property tax exemption for homes, Proposition 2026-C, 1,237 to 167. The voter pamphlet estimates 1,421 owners would qualify and could save up to $326.26 a year, and puts the city's lost revenue at about $434,000 a year. The exemption would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, for fiscal year 2028.

For two council seats, former council member Alexander Douthit has 740 votes, council member Phil Daniel 608 and former council member Tim Navarre 584, a 24-vote gap for the second seat. Kenai's report shows no absentee or questioned ballots counted yet.

What's next

Canvass boards review ballot envelopes and precinct tallies before results become official. Homer's council is scheduled to certify its results Nov. 9. The borough's canvass runs through Nov. 10, when the Assembly is set to certify results and swear in new members, and Soldotna's canvass follows that day. Kenai's canvass board starts meeting Nov. 5, with certification set for Nov. 18.