Following a historic voter turnout, the Southeast community of Hoonah is holding a runoff election for a city council seat later this month.
City Clerk Jennifer Bidiman says Hoonah’s voter turnout in the city was at 53%. That’s higher than the last two municipal elections.
While Gerald Byers won the mayor’s seat with 187 votes, two city council seats were up to voters. Stanley Savland won a three-year term on the council.
But Chris Orr and Paul Comolli both won 36% of the votes in the race for the other council seat.
According to Hoonah’s municipal code, a candidate must hold 40% of the vote to be elected. That means voters will have to decide who gets the city council seat on Oct. 22.
Esther Heath-Mills, Karen Hinchman and Dillon Styers were each elected to the the school board. Gordon Greenwald won a seat on the city’s liquor board.
