More Alaskans than ever are eligible to cast ballots this year, thanks to record-high voter registration.
The state added 22,000 registered voters compared with four years ago for a total of 528,560, up 4 percent, according to data from the Alaska Division of Elections.
And while most Alaskans are nonpartisan or undeclared, most of the new voters are Republicans or Democrats. The Republicans added a little more than 6,000 voters since 2012, while the Democrats gained just over 5,000.
Among third parties, the Alaska Independence Party gained registered voters over the past four years, while the Libertarians and Greens lost ground.
The deadline to register was Oct. 9.
Through midday Monday, 68,547 voted early. It’s not clear whether the state can match the 99,684 early votes in 2012.
