As the 2024 Anchorage municipal election wraps up, preliminary election results offer a glimpse into how voters cast their ballots: showing strong support for most of this year’s ballot initiatives and incumbents — except Mayor Dave Bronson.
The preliminary election results show a nearly 19% voter turnout rate.
Suzanne LaFrance is in the lead with 36% of the vote. Incumbent Mayor Dave Bronson holds 35% of the vote, the weakest performance by an incumbent mayor in the last two decades. Former Anchorage Mayors Ethan Berkowitz won re-election in 2018 with just over 55%; Dan Sullivan with just under 59% and Mark Begich with just under 56%.
Bill Popp trails third with 17% of the vote, followed by Chris Tuck with 7% of the vote in the mayoral election.
No candidates are expected to reach the 45% threshold needed to avoid a runoff election on May 14 (with ballots mailed out April 30). If no candidate secures a majority of votes in the initial election, the top two candidates compete in a subsequent round — a runoff — to determine the winner. The results of the runoff election will decide who will serve as mayor for the next three years.
The preliminary election results show that voters support most of this year’s ballot propositions, except for a $5 million bond that would place public restrooms around the city and a cemetery improvements bond — with 61% and 55% of voters opposing the measures.
School board incumbents are taking the lead in preliminary results. Pat Higgins holds 56% of the votes for Seat E, Dora Wilson is taking 63% of the vote for Seat F and Carl Jacobs has 58% of the vote for Seat G.
Election results will continue being released by the city clerk’s office every evening for the rest of the week.
