Final results in the 2021 City of Ketchikan election were approved by the city’s Canvass Board Thursday. Click or tap for a PDF link. (City of Ketchikan)
Two Ketchikan City Council candidates who led election night standings have been confirmed as the winners by the city’s Canvass Board.
City Council Member Janalee Gage has won a third term on the council. She’ll be joined by jewelry store owner Jai Mahtani. He’s a newcomer to the city’s legislative body.
Gage and Mahtani led in preliminary returns Tuesday night in a race for two City Council seats. Challenger Lallette Kistler trailed close behind.
Though Kistler made up some ground with absentee votes, she ultimately finished just under 40 votes behind second-place Mahtani. Write-in candidate Bronson Olson finished last.
The city’s Canvass Board also Thursday confirmed Dave Kiffer’s win in an unopposed bid for mayor of the city of Ketchikan. Roughly 17% of city voters turned out in Tuesday’s election.
The results remain unofficial for now. The City Council is scheduled to certify the election in a special meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18.
Election officials are set to count absentee, questioned and special needs ballots in Ketchikan Gateway Borough races, including Borough Assembly and school board, starting at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11.
Disclosure: Jai Mahtani is a member of KRBD’s volunteer board of directors. He is not involved in the newsroom.
