Here are the 2025 Mat-Su Assembly and School Board candidates
Here's who is running for Mat-Su school board and assembly in 2025.
Candidate lists for Mat-Su Assembly and School Board elections are now available ahead of the Nov. 4 borough-wide general election.
Who’s running for local office this year? Here are their names.
Looking for more details? Keep an eye out for the Mat-Su Sentinel voter guides, coming early next month.
Five of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s voting districts will have at least one race on the ballot this year, depending on the region. Incumbents are running in four of the six races; Assembly member Tim Hale in District 1 and School Board member Ted Swanson in District 7 are not seeking reelection.
Who is running for Mat-Su Borough Assembly?
Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 1 (one-year term)
District 1 includes Butte, Sutton, Palmer-Fishhook and portions of the greater Palmer area.
- Michael Bowles (Republican)
- Michelle Heun (Undeclared)
Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 2 (one-year term)
District 2 includes the city of Palmer and portions of the greater Palmer area.
- Stephanie Nowers (Nonpartisan, incumbent)
- Dana Raffaniello (Undeclared)
Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 4 (one-year term)
District 4 includes the city of Wasilla and portions of the greater Wasilla area.
- Maxwell Sumner (Republican, incumbent)
Who is running for Mat-Su Borough School Board?
Mat-Su Borough School Board, District 2 (three-year term)
District 2 includes the city of Palmer and portions of the greater Palmer area.
- Kendal Kruse (Republican, incumbent)
- Gage Saxton (Nonpartisan)
Mat-Su Borough School Board, District 5 (three-year term)
District 5 includes portions of the greater Wasilla area.
- Brooks Pitcher (Republican, incumbent)
Mat-Su Borough School Board, District 7 (three-year term)
District 7 includes Meadow Lakes, Talkeetna and Trapper Creek.
- Lorie Colee (Republican)
- Dena McChargue (Undeclared)
Why are Mat-Su Assembly seats only for one year?
Mat-Su residents in Districts 1, 2 and 5 will vote for Assembly members this year, with all races filling one-year terms instead of the recently updated four-year terms.
The District 5 seat is up for a one-year term because its current Assembly member, Maxwell Sumner, was appointed to the seat last year rather than elected. Borough law requires appointees to face a vote in the next regularly scheduled election.
In Districts 1 and 2, the one-year terms stem from a measure approved by the Assembly in early 2024, which updated all seats from three-year to four-year terms.
Proposed by then-Assembly member Rob Yundt and current Assembly member Dee McKee, the change is designed to align Assembly elections with national and statewide election cycles, which fall on even-numbered years and see higher voter turnout. To make that shift, Districts 1 and 2 are being given one-time, one-year terms to move them onto the new schedule.
The change extending all seats to four years was approved by a 5-2 Assembly vote and did not go before voters. An amendment to put the measure on the 2024 ballot was rejected by the same margin.
Tim Hale, who represents District 1, and Stephanie Nowers, who represents District 2, voted against extending the terms and in favor of putting the measure before voters.
The Assembly term update does not affect School Board seats. School Board terms are set by state law and cannot be changed by local governments or voters.
Why are political affiliations listed for Mat-Su nonpartisan assembly and school board seats?
A ballot change approved by the Mat-Su Assembly in early 2024 allows candidates for the nonpartisan school board and Assembly seats to list their political affiliation on ballots and in official borough guides. The change did not go before voters. Like the change to term limits, the update was proposed by Yundt and McKee and approved by the Assembly 5-2, with Nowers and Hale voting no. A proposal to send the update to ballots was approved 4-3, with Nowers, Hale and Assembly member Bill Gamble voting no.
Is it too late to run for a Mat-Su Borough Assembly or School Board seat?
While it is too late to file to appear on the November ballot for a Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly or School Board seat, qualified residents can still file to run as write-in candidates.
Write-in candidate packets are available at the borough clerk’s office. Like candidates who filed before the ballot deadline, individuals who wish to run as write-ins must be registered voters and residents of the district in which they’re running for at least one year.
-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com