Zappone Wins Runoff in GVEA District 7

July 19, 2024

On Thursday July 18 GVEA announced the results of the runoff election for the director’s seat in District 7. Challenger Krista Zappone narrowly edged out incumbent Todd Adams, with Zappone receiving 144 votes (51.4%) to Adams’ 136 (48.6%). Zappone had received the most votes in the first round of voting, but had not reached the 40% threshold required to win. Voting in the run-off began on June 21 and concluded on July 16.

Voter turnout was higher for the runoff than in the first round. Turnout in the initial round of voting was 20.6% (230 out of 1,119 eligible members), but went up to 25% (280 members) in the runoff.

Krista Zappone, from her GVEA candidate profile

Zappone is a Healy resident and currently works as a Department Supervisor at the Healy Three Bears grocery store. She had previously worked in operations and maintenance at GVEA’s Eva Creek wind farm. Zappone serves on the Denali Borough Assembly as its Deputy Presiding Officer. Her other community involvement includes work with the Healy Lions Club, where she served as President for six years. Zappone will be seated in at GVEA’s July board meeting.

Zappone had received the most votes in the first round of balloting, with 89. Adams placed second with 76 votes, and third-place finisher Cyrus Cooper received 65. Because GVEA’s Bylaws required a candidate to receive at least 40% of the vote to win, a runoff was triggered between Zappone and Adams. Adams was elected to the GVEA Board in 2021.

GVEA members approved a change to its Bylaws this year that will eliminate runoffs in future board elections. The change removed the requirement that a candidate receive at least 40% of the vote to win—in future elections, the candidate in each district with the highest vote total will win outright. In both this year’s election and the most recent runoff (also in District 7 in 2021), the candidate with the most votes in the first round went on to win the runoff.