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Alaska primary count is done, as near-record voting sets fields for ranked choice election

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Alaska primary count is done, as near-record voting sets fields for ranked choice election


Laraine Derr feeds ballots by means of a scanner on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, on the workplace of the Alaska Division of Elections in Juneau, Alaska. Derr was amongst elections staff counting ballots in Alaska’s particular U.S. Home major election. (Picture by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

The highest 4 candidates in Alaska’s primaries for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. Home have been settled on Friday, because the state launched the unofficial remaining major outcomes.

There have been 191,823 ballots solid in Alaska’s first open major below the election system voters authorised in 2020. The variety of ballots was the third-highest major whole in state historical past.

The highest 4 finishers advance to the ranked alternative common election below the brand new election system.

For governor, Republican incumbent Mike Dunleavy and his lieutenant governor operating mate Nancy Dahlstrom led their race with 40.42% of the votes, adopted by Democrats Les Gara and Jessica Prepare dinner at 23.07%; independents Invoice Walker and Heidi Drygas at 22.77%; and Republicans Charlie Pierce and Edie Grunwald at 6.59%. Solely 568 votes separate the Gara-Prepare dinner and Walker-Drygas tickets.

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Within the U.S. Senate, Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski led with 45%, adopted by Republican Kelly Tshibaka at 38.58%, Democrat Pat Chesbro at 6.83% and Republican Buzz Kelley at 2.13%.

The primary-preference vote depend is almost full for the particular election to fill the remaining 4 months of the time period of Alaska’s lone member of the U.S. Home of Representatives. Nevertheless, abroad ballots in that race will proceed to be counted by means of Wednesday, when the state Division of Elections will tabulate voters’ ranked alternative votes to find out the winner. The emptiness was brought on by the dying of Congressman Don Younger.

Democrat Mary Peltola has acquired essentially the most first-preference votes, at 39.64%, adopted by Republicans Sarah Palin, with 30.94%, and Nick Begich, with 27.84%. Since Peltola gained’t obtain a majority of those votes, elections officers will depend the next-highest-ranked decisions of these whose first choice was one of many write-in candidates or the third-place finisher, which is shaping as much as be Begich.

Within the major for the complete U.S. Home time period beginning in January, Peltola had 36.81%; Palin, 30.21% and Begich, 26.18%. Republican Tara Sweeney completed fourth at 3.75%; since she is withdrawing, her place on the poll would get replaced by Libertarian Chris Bye, who acquired 0.62%.

The one candidate for the Alaska Legislature who missed out on the final election poll on account of the first was Kieran Brown, the Structure Celebration candidate for a Fairbanks-area Home seat. All different races had 4 or fewer candidates, so all of them superior to the final election.

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The closest state Senate major outcomes have been in a South Anchorage district, the place Republican former Sen. Cathy Giessel acquired 35.64% to Democrat Roselynn Cacy’s 33.67% and Republican incumbent Sen. Roger Holland’s 30.69%, and in a Fairbanks district, the place Democratic incumbent Sen. Scott Kawasaki acquired 48.8%; Republican Jim Matherly, 44.44%; and Republican Alex Jafre, 6.76%.

In a single Anchorage state Home race, Democratic incumbent Rep. Andy Josephson and Republican Kathy Henslee tied at 1,781 votes, whereas Alaskan Independence Celebration candidate Timothy Huit acquired 244.

Candidates have till Sept. 5 to withdraw and never have their names seem on common election ballots. If a candidate withdraws in congressional and legislative races with greater than 4 major candidates, the candidate with the following most votes within the major can be added to the poll. If a candidate for governor withdraws, their lieutenant governor candidate would change into the candidate for governor and select a brand new operating mate.



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Alaska

Ukrainian refugees in Alaska uncertain what to expect after Trump announces possible negotiations

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Ukrainian refugees in Alaska uncertain what to expect after Trump announces possible negotiations


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin prompted local refugees to consider what comes next for their home.

According to Trump the call between the leaders Wednesday struck an agreement to begin negotiations and end the Ukraine war; beginning with a prisoner swap.

Alaska hosts a number of Ukrainian refugees, according to Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance Services — the only refugee resettlement agency in the state — it’s seen an influx of Ukrainians entering Alaska since 2022 when the war first broke out.

Based on Trump’s statements there is potential for negotiations, but Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said Wednesday that Ukraine should give up any NATO aspirations.

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One Alaskan who came to the U.S. as a child in 1998 said many Ukrainians are simply overwhelmed.

“We don’t have the emotional capacity to have a big response,” said Zori Opanasevych, who now operates the Ukraine Relief Program.

“I think that when it happens there will be a relief,” said Opanasevych, but before there is more information about what might come out of the negotiations Opanasevych said there is both a lot of hope and a lot of uncertainty.

Opanasevych anticipates there will be many who question Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. about their immigration status, and worries there may be talks of deportation even for people who have obtained residency through all the proper channels.

If refugees who have sought safety in the U.S. were sent back to Ukraine, they would be stripped of everything they’ve built, according to Opanasevych.

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“Their concern is that they don’t have a home to go to because a fifth of Ukraine is destroyed,” Opanasevych said. “The economy is nonexistent, almost, and they’ve built their lives here.”

According to Catholic Social Services, they currently serve 735 Ukrainians, but estimate there are more than 1,000 Ukrainians in the state. Not all of them are enrolled in the services CSS provides.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com



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Alaska Senate leaders suggest new revenue measures to address looming budget deficit

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Alaska Senate leaders suggest new revenue measures to address looming budget deficit


Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, talks with colleagues on Jan. 22. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Alaska Senate leaders signaled Tuesday that they were open to considering new revenue measures this year to help stabilize the state’s looming budget deficit.

“We haven’t addressed revenue for decades,” Sen. Lyman Hoffman, a Bethel Democrat, told reporters. “I think it’s high time the Legislature looks at raising new revenues if we want to accomplish the many things that we want to do. If not, I don’t see a clear path forward to balancing not only this year’s budget, but next year’s budget.”

Budget analysts predict that without additional revenue, the state could face a $500 million shortfall during the coming year, even without increasing the state’s education budget — a top priority for leaders of both the House and Senate.

Hoffman, who has served in the Legislature for more than 38 years, said “the state of Alaska is probably facing its largest fiscal problem in 30 years.”

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He said the fiscal crisis is driven in part by the Legislature’s efforts this year to significantly increase education funding, a task lawmakers have not undertaken in more than a decade. A bill backed by House leaders would increase the state’s education budget by around $150 million in the coming fiscal year compared to the current one, and hundreds of millions more in the following two years.

Hoffman said the Senate majority had already discussed new revenue measures during a retreat before the beginning of the session.

“I’m glad to report that new revenues are on the Senate’s list of things that need to be addressed this year,” he said.

Rep. Andy Josephson, an Anchorage Democrat who co-chairs the House Finance Committee, said the House majority had not collectively discussed new revenue measures.

“I suppose we would entertain other revenue measures, but we’re also very aware that this governor vetoed a tobacco tax bill, he vetoed a Turo tax bill,” said Josephson. “So I think the 21 of us don’t want to just chase windmills and pursue things that simply aren’t going to happen.”

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Gov. Mike Dunleavy in December proposed a largely status quo budget with a projected deficit of $1.5 billion. He has not introduced new revenue measures this year.

In 2023, Dunleavy introduced legislation to allow the state to bring in revenue from carbon sequestration. The law has yet to yield income for the state. He signaled two years ago that he would introduce a sales tax in the final weeks of the legislative session. But he never introduced the measure.

Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, said the Senate majority has not discussed a sales tax or an income tax. Instead, both Hoffman and Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, pointed to possible measures that could increase taxation of oil and gas companies in the state by hundreds of millions annually.

“I think there are things that can be done which would have very little impact on investment, very little impact on Alaskans, and would help us solve our budget deficit,” said Wielechowski.

Those include a reduction in the per-barrel tax credits given to oil companies, and an amendment to the state’s tax code to apply corporate income tax on certain private corporations, including Hilcorp Alaska.

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Sen. Robert Yundt, a freshman Republican from Wasilla who serves in the minority, on Monday introduced legislation meant to ensure the state’s corporate income tax is applied equally to companies in the state.

Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla, represents District N in the Alaska Senate. Photographed in Juneau on January 24, 2025, in Juneau. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Stevens said his caucus was “really pleased” to see that legislation introduced by Yundt and said the Senate would be “moving forward” with that bill.

A similar measure considered by the Senate — and ultimately abandoned — last year would have increased taxation on Hilcorp, one of Alaska’s top-producing oil companies, by over $100 million.

In a written statement, Yundt said he introduced his bill because he thinks all companies should be “treated and taxed exactly the same — which, unfortunately, is not currently happening.”

“This legislation has the ability to create the even playing field that will benefit both industry and residents alike,” Yundt said.

Sean Maguire reported from Juneau and Iris Samuels from Anchorage.

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Grammy-winner Sean Paul to perform at 2025 Alaska State Fair

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Grammy-winner Sean Paul to perform at 2025 Alaska State Fair


Sean Paul performs during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 15, 2024, in Manchester, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

Grammy-winning Jamaican singer Sean Paul will perform at the 2025 Alaska State Fair.

The platinum hitmaker with multiple chart-topping songs will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, the fair announced Tuesday.

Paul rose to prominence in the 1990s, collaborating with other artists until his solo debut, “Stage One,” in 2000.

A master of the Jamaican dancehall genre, he won a Grammy for his 2004 album “Dutty Rock,” which featured hit singles “Gimme the Light” and “Get Busy.”

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Tickets for the show go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at alaskastatefair.org.

Paul joins “Weird Al” Yankovic, Foreigner, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Chris Tomlin, Billy Currington and 3 Doors Down on the fair’s performer lineup.

The fair runs from Aug. 15 to Sep. 1 at the state fairgrounds in Palmer.





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