Unalaska votes yes for three measures

MONICA SOUTHWORTH

September 04, 2008 at 1:09PM AKST

The votes have been cast and the tallies for Unalaska primaries are in.

In the U.S. Senate race for the Democrat Party, 171 votes went to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, with 37 for Ray Metcalfe. On the Republican side of the Senate race, 107 votes were cast in favor of U.S. Senate incumbent Ted Stevens, who had almost twice as many votes as his republican competitors combined. David Cuddy trailed a distant second with 31 votes.

A close race took place between Democrats Diane Benson and Ethan Berkowitz for the U.S. House. Totals showed Benson leading with 108 votes to Berkowitz’s 105. Unalaskans cast 86 votes for Don Young over Sean Parnell, who received 61 in the Republican primary.

Running unopposed in the primary for District 37 Legislature representative was Democrat Bryce Edgmon, who received 220 votes, and Republican Ron Bowers, who received 127 votes. Those candidates will go head-to-head in the general election on Nov. 4.

Unalaska voted in favor of three out of the four ballot measures, favoring measures on establishing an Alaska gaming commission, banning same-day airborne shooting of wildlife and regulating water quality, the hotly contested Clean Water Initiative.

Unalaskans voted against Measure 3, which would have created a voluntary program of public funding for state election campaigns.

These numbers are not yet final, as absentee ballots have not yet been counted (those numbers are expected Sept. 5). The next time voters will have a chance to cast their ballots will be in October for the municipal elections.