Simpler and Stutes lead Kodiak-area races, but neither is decided

Kathy Simpler leads Sheldon Prout by 431 votes in the race for the open Kodiak, Cordova and Seward House seat, but the Alaska Division of Elections has counted only 77 absentee and early ballots from the district so far.

In the Senate race covering the same area and part of the Kenai Peninsula, Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak leads a three-candidate field but doesn't have a majority. The results from Tuesday's election are unofficial, and neither race is decided.

Simpler, a nonpartisan, has 2,160 votes, or 55%, to 1,729, or 44%, for Prout, a Republican, with all 12 precincts reported in House District 5. She took 61% against Prout in the August primary. The seat is open because Stutes is running for Senate.

The district's count so far includes 3,951 ballots cast at polling places, plus 45 absentee and 32 early ballots. For comparison, the division counted 2,120 absentee, early and questioned ballots in the district in the 2022 general election and 3,570 in 2024. Its report doesn't say how many ballots are still out.

In the Senate District C race, Stutes has 5,136 votes, or 48%. Heath Smith of Homer has 4,198, or 39%, and Carrie Harris of Anchor Point has 1,242, or 12%. All three are registered Republicans.

The district splits sharply. Stutes leads Smith 2,344 to 879 in the House District 5 half. Smith leads 3,319 to 2,792 in the House District 6 half, on the Kenai Peninsula.

Under Alaska law, as the division describes it, the ranked-choice count continues until two candidates remain unless one wins a majority of first choices. Stutes doesn't have one in the current count, so second choices on Harris ballots could come into play. The division's results page says ranked-choice results won't be available until Nov. 18, once all eligible ballots are counted.

The House race drew about $473,000 in candidate and independent money through Nov. 2, the most of any Alaska legislative race this year, and the Senate race drew about $272,000, Alaska News reported Nov. 3.

Early ballots cast from the Friday before the election through Election Day are scheduled to be counted Nov. 10, when the count of questioned ballots also begins. Absentee ballots mailed from within the U.S. must be postmarked in time and arrive by Nov. 13. Overseas ballots are due Nov. 18, the day of the final count. The division aims to certify the election Nov. 25.