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Adam Trombley could be in position to become the Anchorage Assembly's newest member, with a 252-vote lead over the incumbent, East Anchorage Assemblyman Mike Gutierrez.
EAST ANCHORAGE PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE SEAT CHANGE, OTHER SEATS REMAIN THE SAME
According to the city clerk's office, Trombley received 3,196 votes, roughly 47 percent of the vote. Gutierrez gathered 2,944 votes, representing about 43 percent of the vote. The clerk's office says the latest numbers released Monday night include some absentee vote numbers, but there are still a few others left to count, like ballots that still have yet to arrive by mail.
"It's certainly not what I had hoped for, but East Anchorage is a very tough nut to crack," said Gutierrez. "The last four Assembly members from East Anchorage have been one term."
The Trombley-Gutierrez race was the closest of Tuesday night: at one point their vote totals matched exactly.
Tuesday night, Trombley said he hadn't yet received a call from Gutierrez conceding the race.
"I'd like to give him a call and just say, 'Good race.' I like Mike," said Trombley. "Personally, we've always been cordial to each other, and I thought he ran a great race."
Paul Bauer, who some thought might split the conservative vote, got 622 votes, polling about 9 percent.
Trombley -- who ran as a fiscal conservative -- was the only challenger backed by Mayor Dan Sullivan to end the evening with a higher vote total than their respective incumbents.
Midtown's Elvi Gray-Jackson and West Anchorage's Harriet Drummond won re-election, with resounding re-elections for South Anchorage's Chris Birch, Downtown's Patrick Flynn and Chugiak/Eagle River's Bill Starr.
VOTERS TURN DOWN MOST SCHOOL BONDS
Anchorage voters turned down two of three school bonds on the ballot Tuesday night. They said "no" to the $37 million renovation of Service High School.
Voters also didn't go for the $17 million bond that would have provided capital improvements, general repairs and building life extension projects for schools across the district.
But voters approved the third and final school bond, providing $17 million for career, vocational and technological improvements in Anchorage schools.
"We knew that had the strongest support because the community is clearly sending us a message that they want to see career tech and vocational tech education courses offered," Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau said.
VOTERS SEND INCUMBENT BACK TO SCHOOL BOARD
Voters decided the fate of two school board seats Tuesday night. Pat Higgins ended up with 186 more votes than challenger Bob Griffin by the end of Tuesday night. Reflecting on the numbers, Griffin said it appeared that Higgins was headed for another three-year term.
"It's a pretty tough situation, you can't help but be disappointed," Griffin said. "But, I'm excited that it looks like we might swing the Assembly. My buddy Adam [Trombley] is doing well, and that's an important race."
Gretchen Guess will be a new member on the School Board, coming in first Tuesday night, with her only serious challenge coming from Treg Taylor.
"This has been a wonderful experience," Taylor said. "I treasure the people I got to know and it was awesome running."
