MEA 2025 Election Results
July 17, 2025
By Brian Kassof
The results of Matanuska Electric Association’s (MEA) 2025 board election were announced at the cooperative’s Annual Meeting on April 29. MEA members reelected incumbent Arthur Keyes to his At-Large seat and incumbent Mark Masteller to represent the Matanuska District. Both will serve four-year terms.
A total of 7,688 members voted, representing about 13% of those eligible, up slightly from the last few years. 3,882 (50.5%) voted electronically, 3,733 (48.6%) by mail, and 73 (0.9%) voted in person at the Annual Meeting. In 2026, MEA will be shifting to a primarily electronic voting system.
In the election for the At-Large Seat, incumbent Arthur Keyes ran unopposed, receiving 7,008 votes (95%). This will be Keyes’ second term. He is the founder of Glacier Valley Farms in Palmer and is a former State Director of Agriculture. There were two other candidates for this seat, Tyler Vose and Michael Willmon, who both withdrew from the race before voting began. Their names still appeared on paper ballots, which were printed before they withdrew.
Arthur Keyes, from his board profile
In the Matanuska District, incumbent Mark Masteller was reelected. Masteller received 1,782 votes (64.2%), while his opponent, Thomas Bergey received 995 (35.8%). Now retired, Masteller worked as a biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and was a faculty member/program head for the Sustainable Energy Programs at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Masteller was first elected to the MEA Board in 2017 and will be serving his third term. Under MEA’s Bylaws, Masteller will not be able to run again in 2029.
Mark Masteller, from his board profile
In February, the MEA Board voted to move to a primarily electronic voting system starting in 2026. Paper ballots will no longer automatically be sent to members; those wishing to vote by mail will need to request a paper ballot. At the 2025 Annual Meeting, MEA CEO Tony Izzo said that 86% of respondents to the 2024 Member Survey were in favor of making this change, which he estimated would save the cooperative between $120,000-140,000 a year. Chugach Electric Association (CEA) has used a primarily electronic voting system since 2017, and Homer Electric Association (HEA) switched to one this year.
In 2026, members will elect two directors, for the Eagle River District and for the At-Large Seat currently held by Anastasia Buretta.
