It’s election season, and here on Page 2, we’re bringing you the information you need to make sure your vote is counted in the upcoming municipal elections.
City elections for Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston are coming up on Tuesday, October 7th. Borough and School Board elections will take place 4 weeks later on Tuesday, November 4th.
The voter registration deadline has passed for the city elections. The last day to register to vote in the borough elections is October 5th.
Of course, registering is only part of the equation. You still have to cast your ballot. And voter turnout has been low in recent years. In last year’s elections, six percent of registered voters in Palmer showed up. Wasilla saw three percent, and Houston had the highest turnout—at just under 14 percent.
So—how do you vote? You’ve got three options: by mail with an absentee ballot, through early voting, or in person on Election Day.
If you’re voting by mail, the deadlines for requesting an absentee ballot are:
Palmer: by 4 p.m. on September 26th.
Wasilla: by September 30th.
Houston: by 5 p.m. on September 29th.
You can find absentee ballot applications on your city’s website. And remember: ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and received by Friday, October 10th.
Prefer early voting? That starts on September 22nd. You can vote Monday through Friday through October 6th in the respective City Halls during their open hours. Wasilla adds Saturday voting from 10 am to 3pm.
And of course,you can voe in person on Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Your voter registration card has your polling place.
If you want to learn more about the candidates before you vote There are several opportunities for Palmer City Council and Mayoral candidates:
Big Cabbage Radio will air interviews by Kenni Psenak with Palmer’s candidates on Sunday September 15st at 4pm. The interviews will then be available on our website.
The Palmer Rotary is hosting a candidate forum on Monday, September 15th at 6 p.m.at the Palmer Depot.
The Palmer Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum on September 24th at the Palmer Depot—doors open at 11:30, with the program starting at noon.
And in Wasilla, candidate statements are available anytime online at cityofwasilla.gov.
The Mat Su Sentinel will also have voter guide on their website for the candidates in all 3 city races.
Your vote matters. And your community depends on it. Develop a voting plan. Have a buddy to go with you.
Here are some announcements and events.
The Central Landfill is closed today and will reopen tomorrow.
What we have been waiting for! The recycling center begins accepting glass today. They accept glass jars and bottles up to one gallon in size. Glass jars need to be clean and without lids.
The Palmer City Council meeting at 6pm tonight. You can stream the meeting at big cabbage radio dot org. – we offer both an audio only and a video stream of the meeting.