April 29, 2026

Palmer, Alaska – Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) announced the preliminary results of its 2026 Board of Directors election during the Annual Meeting held April 28 at the Glenn Massay Theater.

This year’s election saw record member participation, with a total of 7,951 votes cast—the highest turnout in MEA’s history. Of those votes, 98% were submitted electronically through SmartHub, reflecting strong member engagement and the continued success of MEA’s digital voting platform.

Board Election Results

At-Large Seat (Service Area-Wide):

• Connie Fredenberg – 3,404 votes (43%)
• Patrick Shier – 2,410 votes (31%)
• David Phillips – 2,058 votes (26%)

Eagle River District Seat:

• Mark Hamm – 772 votes (45%)
• Daniel Jensen – 566 votes (33%)
• Keegan Fritts – 382 votes (22%)

Fredenberg and Hamm will officially take their seats on the Board of Directors at MEA’s regular monthly meeting in May.

Bylaw Amendment

Members also voted on a proposed bylaw amendment which addresses situations in which only one qualified candidate submits for an open MEA Board seat.

• Yes – 4,149 votes (53%)
• No – 3,749 votes (47%)

The amendment was approved by the membership.

For the 2026 election, MEA’s Election Committee implemented a shift to primarily online voting, while still offering mail-in ballots by request. This change is expected to save the cooperative up to $140,000 annually while improving accessibility and driving increased member participation. Members overwhelmingly chose to vote online, with 98% (7,820 votes) submitted electronically, while 68 votes (1%) were cast by mail and 63 votes (1%) were cast in person at the Annual Meeting.

About MEA

Matanuska Electric Association is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 58,000 members across the Mat-Su Valley and Eagle River. MEA is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable power with exceptional member service and commitment to the community we serve.

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