Wasilla's mayor is termed out, and the first candidate to replace her just filed

Wasilla is headed for an open mayor's race this fall.

Mayor Glenda Ledford, first elected in 2020, is finishing her second consecutive term and is barred by the city's two-term limit from running again — so for the first time in six years, the seat is up for grabs. The first person to step toward it is Stuart "Stu" Graham, who filed a letter of intent on July 14.

He's early. Wasilla's official candidate filing window doesn't open until July 20 and runs through July 31, so the field is far from settled — other candidates can, and likely will, jump in over the next two weeks. Graham has tied his candidacy to priorities including open government, no new taxes, a business-friendly city, and public safety, according to his prior campaign materials.

Voters decide Oct. 6. If no candidate clears 40 percent of the vote, the two who finish highest advance to a runoff — a real possibility if several candidates split an open-seat race.