Meet Vern Halter, Mat-Su Borough’s new mayor

Vern Halter, Mat-Su Borough mayor

Most people recognize Vern Halter as an Iditarod musher with plenty of top 10 finishes in the Last Great Race and a first place victory in the Yukon Quest.

He’s also a lawyer born, raised and educated in South Dakota. He’s been an Alaskan since 1977. He labored for a decade as a public defender and for 30 years has maintained a small business with his wife and veterinarian Susan Whiton, Dream a Dream Iditarod Kennel in the Valley. He’s served six years on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly. He expressly champions the rural way of life.