Initial election results from the City of Nenana and the Nenana School Board indicate significant leads for several candidates in the municipal ballot. Voter turnout has showcased clear preferences, particularly in key council and school board seats, although the final results remain unofficial pending further ballot counting.
In the council elections, Seat B saw candidate Charles Scott Stevens receive a notable 77 votes, while a total of 13 votes were cast for various write-in candidates. For Seat E, incumbent Karen Harvey maintained a strong lead, garnering 68 votes against write-in candidate Jason Hayward, who received 26 votes, with an additional seven votes going to other write-ins.
The Nenana City School District elections highlighted similar trends. For school board Seat F, candidate Tallon Shreeve achieved a commanding 99 votes, while write-in candidates collectively received only four votes. Incumbent Jeremiah “JT” Baker secured 84 votes for Seat B, with 16 votes cast for write-in candidates.
In Seat C, candidate Maryellen Robinson received 69 votes, in contrast to Teresa Trinadad, who acquired 19 votes, while nine votes were directed to other write-ins. Meanwhile, the contest for School Board Seat A was exclusively between write-in candidates, with Kristin Shreeve earning 26 votes and Sean Phillips receiving 19 votes. An additional 31 votes were split among various other write-in candidates.
The School Board Advisory Seat B featured a singular write-in candidate, Kayla Mortenson, who received five votes. A notable highlight of this election cycle is Ballot Measure 1, which proposes term limits for Nenana’s mayor. This measure appears to be on track for approval, with 75 votes in favor and 28 votes against. If passed, it would limit the mayor to three terms and require a one-year break before running for the position again.
Current Mayor Joshua Verhagen has supported this ordinance, which was unanimously approved by the Nenana City Council in 2024. The city charter mandates that any change to the term limits must be passed through a ballot measure. Verhagen, who is in his third term, will see his current term end in 2027.
As the election board continues to count remaining absentee, questioned, and challenged ballots, all results remain unofficial until they are certified by the city council. The outcome of these elections not only shapes the future of Nenana’s local governance but also reflects the engagement of its community in the democratic process.
