Here are the 2025 Palmer, Wasilla and Houston city candidates
Here's who is running in this year's city elections.
Candidate lists for city elections in Palmer, Wasilla and Houston are now available, with plenty of time before the Oct. 7 general election in each city.
Who is running for city seats this year? Here are the details.
Who is running for Palmer mayor and city council?
Palmer voters will decide four races in this year’s election: mayor, a pair of three-year city council seats, and a one-year council seat.
Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name and include brief background information on each individual.
Palmer City Mayor
- John Alcantra – Current city council member
- Jim Cooper – Current city council member; former mayor
- Cachet Garrett – Former University of Alaska Board of Regents member
- Victoria Hudson – Current city council member
- Josh Tudor – Current city council member
Palmer City Council (three-year term)
- Alison Collins – Palmer-based attorney
- Amanda Graham – Wasilla Police Department spokesperson; spouse of a Palmer Fire Department member
- Carolina Graver – Incumbent city council member
Palmer City Council (one-year term)
- Sherry Carrington – Spouse of current mayor Steve Carrington
- Aundra “Omega” Jackson – President of the Mat-Su Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation
How Palmer City elections work
Palmer voters do not elect candidates to specific council seats. Instead, they vote for a set number of candidates based on the number of open seats. The city posts candidate names in alphabetical order on its website.
In 2025, voters will choose one mayor, two candidates for the three-year seats, and one candidate for the one-year seat.
The city also allows write-in votes for registered write-in candidates, whose names are not printed on the ballot if they register after the filing deadline.
Where to find Palmer City Council candidate information
Visit the City of Palmer website to view the list of registered candidates.
To find the candidate list later, go to the “Government” tab, click on “Elections,” and select “Election Information.” From there, choose the relevant election and then the “Candidate List” option.
Who is running for Wasilla City Council?
Wasilla voters will decide three City Council races this year: two for three-year terms and one for a one-year term.
As in other Mat-Su communities, voters may write in the name of a candidate who registered after the filing deadline.
The candidates listed below are presented in alphabetical order by last name and include brief background information on each.
Council Seat C (one-year term)
- Timothy Johnson – Former council member; resigned in March
Council Seat E (three-year term)
- Mark Schmidt – Current council member, appointed in April
- Sue-Sue (Sue2) Scott - Wasilla-based nurse practitioner
Council Seat F (three-year term)
- Alina Rubeo – Incumbent city council member
How the Wasilla City Council election works
Unlike Palmer, Wasilla council members are elected to specific seats. Voters may select or write in one candidate per race.
Of the three races, two are uncontested, with one candidate included on ballots for each seat. Write-in candidates may register after the initial deadline.
Where to find Wasilla City Council candidate information
Visit the Wasilla city website to view the candidate list (updated July 29).
To access it later, select the “Elections” icon on the city's home page or navigate through the “Departments” menu to “Elections.” From that page, click the “Candidate List” link.
Who is running for Houston City Council?
The following candidates are registered for the 2025 Houston City Council election:
Council Seat E
- David Childs – Incumbent council member
- Jason Kahn – Spouse of Seat F candidate Callie Courtney
Council Seat F
- Ron Bass – Owner of Houston Grass Station; proposed Matanuska Thunder Festival holiday
- Callie Courtney – Spouse of Seat E candidate Jason Kahn
Council Seat G
- Laurie Fauber – Incumbent council member
- Dan Lewis – Houston-based IT security expert
How the Houston City Council election works
Like Wasilla, Houston elects members to specific council seats. The 2025 election will fill three at-large seats for three-year terms. Voters select or write in one candidate per race.
Write-in votes are allowed for candidates who register after the filing deadline.
Houston does not elect a mayor. Instead, the city council selects a mayor annually from among its members. While current Mayor Carter Cole is not up for reelection, a different council member could be selected as mayor after the 2025 General Election.
Where to find Houston City Council candidate information
Visit the City of Houston website to view the candidate list.
To navigate to the list:
- On desktop: From the homepage, click the “Departments” tab, then select “Elections” under “Office of the Clerk.” Use the “Candidates and Offices” dropdown to access the file. It is the last one listed under the dropdown.
- On mobile: Close any image pop-ups on the homepage. Tap the three-line menu button, then select “Departments,” “Clerk’s Office,” and “Elections.” As on desktop, use the “Candidates and Offices” dropdown to view the candidate list.
-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com
This story was updated Aug. 4 to correct a typo regarding Palmer's 2025 races. Voters will select candidates to fill a pair of three-year seats.
This story was updated Aug. 5 to include additional details for Wasilla council candidates released by the city Aug. 4.