Absentee ballots cause lead change in District 1 assembly race

The Mat-Su Borough review board has counted absentee and questioned ballots from the November 5^th election, changing the lead in one borough assembly race.

In total, 650 additional ballots have been counted.  In District 2, neither race’s leading candidate changed.  Stephanie Nowers extended her lead over Lamarr Anderson by another forty votes, and Jim Hart added two additional votes to his lead over incumbent Ray Michaelson in the school board race.

The one race to significantly change is for the District 1 assembly seat.  After Election Day, Brian Endle held a lead of two votes over Tim Hale.  Hale took a significantly higher portion of the absentee ballots issued, however, and now holds a lead of twenty-five votes.

In both assembly races, the incumbents have termed out, leaving the field open to challengers.  Election results will remain unofficial until November 19^th, when the assembly is scheduled to certify them.