Elections in Alaska
The number of elections in Alaska (Iñupiaq: Alaaskam naliġagviat) varies by year, but typically municipal elections occur every year, plus primary and general elections for federal and state offices occur during even-numbered years. Alaska has a gubernatorial election every four years. Members of the state's United States congressional delegation run for election or re-election at the times set out in the United States Constitution. Primary elections assist in choosing political parties' nominees for various positions. On a regional basis (see list of boroughs and census areas in Alaska), elections also cover municipal issues. In addition, a special election can occur at any time.
| Elections in Alaska |
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In a 2020 study, Alaska was ranked as the 15th hardest state for citizens to vote in.[1]
In 2020, Alaskan voters approved an initiative to implement a nonpartisan blanket top-four primary with a single, open primary where candidates from all parties are listed on the ballot and the top four vote-getters advance to the general election.[2] This system went into effect with the 2022 elections. Prior to this, registered voters in Alaska were given a choice between three primary ballots reflecting a semi-closed primary system.[3] Specifically, Democratic, Libertarian, Alaskan Independence and Independent candidates were listed on one ballot available to all registered voters and Republican candidates were listed on a second ballot available to voters registered as Republican, Nonpartisan or Undeclared.[3]
Ballot measures
Presidential elections
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 189,951 | 52.83% | 153,778 | 42.77% | 15,801 | 4.39% |
| 2016 | 163,387 | 51.28% | 116,454 | 36.55% | 38,767 | 12.17% |
| 2012 | 164,676 | 54.80% | 122,640 | 40.81% | 13,179 | 4.39% |
| 2008 | 193,841 | 59.42% | 123,594 | 37.89% | 8,762 | 2.69% |
| 2004 | 190,889 | 61.07% | 111,025 | 35.52% | 10,684 | 3.42% |
| 2000 | 167,398 | 58.62% | 79,004 | 27.67% | 39,158 | 13.71% |
| 1996 | 122,746 | 50.80% | 80,380 | 33.27% | 38,494 | 15.93% |
| 1992 | 102,000 | 39.46% | 78,294 | 30.29% | 78,212 | 30.26% |
| 1988 | 119,251 | 59.59% | 72,584 | 36.27% | 8,281 | 4.14% |
| 1984 | 138,377 | 66.65% | 62,007 | 29.87% | 7,221 | 3.48% |
| 1980 | 86,112 | 54.35% | 41,842 | 26.41% | 30,491 | 19.24% |
| 1976 | 71,555 | 57.90% | 44,058 | 35.65% | 7,961 | 6.44% |
| 1972 | 55,349 | 58.13% | 32,967 | 34.62% | 6,903 | 7.25% |
| 1968 | 37,600 | 45.28% | 35,411 | 42.65% | 10,024 | 12.07% |
| 1964 | 22,930 | 34.09% | 44,329 | 65.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 30,953 | 50.94% | 29,809 | 49.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
Alaskans have voted in United States presidential elections since 1960. With the exception of the candidacy of Barry Goldwater in 1964, the Republican Party has carried Alaska in every presidential election.
United States congressional delegation elections
United States Senate elections
Alaska has a Class II Senator (currently Dan Sullivan) and a Class III Senator (currently Lisa Murkowski). Alaska first elected Senators in 1956 under the "Alaska–Tennessee Plan." They had no vote in the Senate, but were sent to represent Alaska as if they were, to lobby for statehood, and to assume the office of senator should the situation arise. Alaska's first voting senators were elected in the 1958 election; it was a special election due to the former territory's pending admission as a state.
Class II Senate elections
- 1960 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1966 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1972 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1978 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1984 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1990 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1996 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2002 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2020 United States Senate election in Alaska
Class III Senate elections
- 1962 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1968 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1974 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1980 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1986 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1992 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 1998 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2004 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2010 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2016 United States Senate election in Alaska
- 2022 United States Senate election in Alaska
United States House of Representatives elections
Alaska has had a single congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since statehood was granted in 1959.
- 1958 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1960 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1962 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1964 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1966 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1968 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1970 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1972 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1974 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1976 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1978 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1980 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1982 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1984 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1986 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1990 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1992 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1994 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1996 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 1998 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2000 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2002 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2004 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2006 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2008 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2010 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2012 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2014 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2016 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2018 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2020 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
- 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska (Special)
- 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
Gubernatorial elections
- 1958 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1962 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1966 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1970 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1974 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1978 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1982 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1986 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1990 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1994 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 1998 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2002 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2006 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2010 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2014 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2018 Alaska gubernatorial election
- 2022 Alaska gubernatorial election
Alaska Legislature elections
Alaska Senators have terms of four years; half of them are elected every two years. Alaska Representatives have terms of two years; all of them are elected every two years.[5] The state's redistricting process allows the power to shorten the terms of state senators should a redistricting action substantially alter their district.
- 1994 Alaska state elections
- 1996 Alaska state elections
- 1998 Alaska state elections
- 2000 Alaska state elections
- 2002 Alaska state elections
- 2004 Alaska state elections
- 2006 Alaska state elections
- 2008 Alaska state elections
- 2010 Alaska state elections
- 2012 Alaska state elections
- 2014 Alaska state elections
- 2016 Alaska state elections
Municipal elections
Virtually all of the state's municipalities hold their general elections in early October, with the notable exception of Anchorage. North Pole for many years held their elections in November, in the process holding them on the same day as state elections on even-numbered years, but eventually abandoned that in favor of October elections. Anchorage switched from an early October election day to one in early April around 1992.
Political parties
There are four qualified political parties.[6]
- Democratic Party (see also Alaska Democratic Party)
- Libertarian Party
- Republican Party (see also Alaska Republican Party)
- Alaskan Independence Party
Lawsuits launched by Joe Vogler and Jim Sykes, among other lawsuits, led the Alaska Legislature to eventually revamp and relax laws pertaining to party status and ballot access. The first instance of a minor party gaining recognition came in 1982, when the gubernatorial candidacy of Dick Randolph under the Libertarian Party was successful enough to meet the existing party recognition threshold.
References
- J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (15 Dec 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- Piper, Kelsey (2020-11-19). "Alaska voters adopt ranked-choice voting in ballot initiative". Vox. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- Harrington, Susan (July 1, 2014). "Voter Registration: It's Not Automatic, but It's Easy". Alaska Business Monthly. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015.
Alaska law allows a political party to select who may participate in their party's primary.
- Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Alaska". US Election Atlas. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- Article 2, Section 3 Archived 2008-07-18 at the Wayback Machine of the Constitution of Alaska
- "State of Alaska - Recognized Political Parties". Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
External links
- Alaska Division of Elections official website
- Alaska at Ballotpedia
- Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, "Alaska", Voting & Elections Toolkits
- "Alaska: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links", Vote.org, Oakland, CA
- "League of Women Voters of Alaska". (State affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
- "State Elections Legislation Database", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures,
State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020
