Alaskans have until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to vote in this year’s statewide general election.
Here’s what you need to know:
What races are on the ballot?
Using ranked choice voting, Alaskans will elect a new governor and choose a U.S. House member and a U.S. Senator. They’ll also vote on all state House seats and half of the state Senate.
How does ranked choice voting work?
In all races, including the race for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate, the top four candidates from each respective primary advanced to the general election ballot. Voters can rank the candidates in order of preference. Voters are not required to rank all candidates, nor do they have to rank more than one.
If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in a race, they win outright.
If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of first choice votes in a race, that’s when ranked choice voting occurs. The candidate who came in last place is eliminated. Voters who selected the last place candidate as their first choice will then have their vote for their second choice candidate counted.
This process continues until a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, and that candidate wins.
This video by our partners at KTOO and the Anchorage Daily News explains the process:
Are there any ballot questions?
Yes. There are two.
The first, Ballot Measure 2, would repeal a 2020 ballot measure that brought ranked choice voting to Alaska state elections. It would get rid of the open primaries, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot, and return to a closed primary system where voters choose a political party’s ballot and vote accordingly. Winners of each party’s primary would face each other in the general election and there would be no ranking of candidates. The measure would also eliminate several financial disclosure laws that were enacted by the 2020 ballot measure, including removing the limits on donations to joint campaigns for governor and lieutenant governor and disclosures for “digital ads, out-of-state donations, undisclosed donations and the true source of donations,” according to Ballot Measure 2’s language.
Another ballot question, Ballot Measure 3, would slightly change the wording of Alaska law to, supporters say, further clarify that only U.S. citizens who meet a number of requirements can vote in elections. Currently the law says “A person may vote at any election who is a citizen of the United States.” The ballot measure would change it to say “Only a person who is a citizen of the United States… may vote at any election.”
How can I check if I’m registered to vote?
Alaskans can check their voter registration status in the Division of Elections online voter portal.
Where can I learn more about the candidates?
You can check out our Alaska voter guide. In partnership with the Anchorage Daily News, KTOO and the Alaska Beacon, we reached out to all candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S House, the state House and state Senate, asking them a series of questions so voters could compare their answers.
What if I want to vote by mail?
Alaskans can apply to vote absentee by-mail online here.
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 24. Ballots must be postmarked or received by Nov. 3. If you want to drop off your absentee ballot at a polling place, the deadline is 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Where and when can I vote?
Early voting begins on Oct. 19 at polling places across the state. You can find the locations and hours that you can vote early in your community at the state Division of Elections website.
On Nov. 3, Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. at polling places across the state. A list of polling locations is available here.
What if I’m sure I’m registered to vote but the Division of Elections doesn’t have me on the list at the polling place I go to?
Voters can request to fill out a questioned ballot at a polling place. The ballot is verified separately from standard ballots by bipartisan review boards who verify voter eligibility and prepare it for scanning and tabulation. The Questioned Board will begin reviewing the ballots on Nov. 5.
When will we know the results?
Division of Elections officials say they plan on releasing the first batch of election results between 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, with subsequent results released later in the evening. The Division will post on social media when new results are released in subsequent days.
The current target date to certify the election results is Nov. 25.
When does ranked choice tabulation happen?
For races where a candidate does not receive more than 50% of the vote, ranked choice tabulation will happen on Nov. 18.
When will the winners of each race be sworn in?
Alaska’s next governor will be sworn in on Dec. 7.
The state’s U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative on Jan. 3, 2027.
Members of the Alaska Legislature will be sworn in on Jan. 19, 2027.
