With city elections coming up in early October, you may be wondering who is on your local ballot. Is it someone you know? Someone you've even heard of?

Here are the details you need for the Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston city elections.

Who is running for Palmer City Council?

Here is a list of candidates registered for the 2024 Palmer City Council election:

• John Alcantra (incumbent)
• Nathan Bradford
• Jameson Corbin
• Victoria Hudson
• Aundra “Omega” Jackson 

How the Palmer City Council election works

Instead of electing candidates for individual seats, Palmer voters select a certain number of candidates based on the number of open council slots. City officials post the names of candidates in alphabetical order on the city’s website. The 2024 Palmer City Council election will fill two open seats for three-year terms, so Palmer voters will choose two candidates on Election Day.

The city also allows voters to write in the name of a registered write-in candidate. These candidates missed having their names printed on the ballot because they registered with the city 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 candidate information later, visit the city website and navigate to the “Government” tab, look for the “Elections” heading, and select “Election Information.” From there, select the election you’re interested in. The menu on that page includes a “Candidate List” option.

Who is running for Wasilla City Council?

Here is a list of candidates registered for the 2024 Wasilla City Council election:

Council Seat A: 

• Cathy E. Cottle (incumbent)

Council Seat B: 

• Stuart R. Graham “Stu” (incumbent)

How the Wasilla City Council election works

Unlike Palmer, Wasilla City Council members are elected to specific seats, with each candidate running for a specific slot. The 2024 Wasilla City Council election will fill two open seats for three-year terms, and voters will select or write in one candidate for each race.

Wasilla’s 2024 races are uncontested, with only one candidate filed for each seat. As in other places, Wasilla voters may also write in the names of candidates who register with the city after the initial deadline.

Where to find information about Wasilla City Council candidates

Visit the Wasilla city website to view the list of registered candidates.

To find candidate information later, select the “Elections” icon on the home page of the Wasilla city website, or navigate to the “Services” menu and select “Elections.” From that page, you can select the “Candidate List and Contact Information” link.

Who is running for Houston City Council?

Here is a list of candidates registered for the 2024 Houston City Council election:

Seat C: 

• Carter R. Cole (incumbent)
• Wayne Oliver

Seat D: 

• Kent Mitchell (incumbent)

Seat G: 

• Laurie A. Faubert (incumbent)

How the Houston City Council election works

As in Wasilla, Houston City Council members are elected to specific seats, with each candidate running for a specific slot. The 2024 Houston City Council election will fill two at-large seats for three-year terms and one at-large seat for a one-year term. Voters will select or write in one candidate for each race. Houston voters do not select a mayor; instead, council members annually select Houston’s mayor from among themselves.

Two of Houston’s open seats are uncontested in the 2024 race, with only one registered candidate running for each. As in other Mat-Su communities, Houston voters may also write in the names of candidates who register with the city after the original deadline.

Where to find Houston City Council candidate information

See a list of candidates on the Houston city website.

To find candidate information later, how to navigate to it on the City of Houston website depends on your device.

• On a desktop or laptop: From the Houston city homepage, slect the “Departments” tab from the menu, then look for “Elections” under the “Office of the Clerk” heading. From there, pull down the “Candidates and Offices” tab and select the file you want to view.
• On mobile: From the homepage, first tap the “X” to close any photo pop-ups that appear. Then, avoiding the Google bar at the top of the page, select the three-line menu button, followed by “Departments,” “Clerk’s Office,” and finally “Elections.” Drop down from the “Candidates and Offices” menu on that page to view the appropriate candidate file.

-- Amy Bushatz can be contacted at abushatz@matsusentinel.com.

This article was updated Aug. 30 to correct an omission in the list of Palmer candidates. John Alcantra is an incumbent.