Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 21 in communities across Alaska. And time is running short to request an absentee ballot.
Here’s what to know about voting for candidates for state and federal office in the election that ends Nov. 5.
What’s this election for?
On Nov. 5, all voters across the state will have a chance to rank their choices for president and Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat. Plus, voters will also rank candidates in their local state House and Senate races.
Even beyond the presidency, it’s an election with high stakes — control of Congress and the state Legislature is up for grabs. Half of the state Senate is up for election this year, and all of the state House.
There will also be two propositions on the statewide ballot:
- Ballot Measure 1 would increase the state minimum wage from $11.73 to $15 an hour by 2027 and allow workers to earn sick leave.
- Ballot Measure 2 would eliminate ranked choice voting and the state’s top-four nonpartisan open primary system.
Where can I learn more about the candidates?
For a rundown of the candidates on the ballot, the nonprofit Alaska Beacon has a voter guide with candidate questionnaires and other resources. Candidates also file official statements with the Division of Elections, and you can read or listen to those at the division’s website.
The division also mails its Official Election Pamphlet with information about the candidates to “every voter household” ahead of Election Day. The pamphlets are also available online — look for “General Official Election Pamphlet.” (The digital pamphlets are specific to your Division of Elections region. Check this document to determine what region you’re in.)
For more on the U.S. House race, Alaska Public Media is hosting a debate between the top two candidates, incumbent Mary Peltola and Nick Begich III, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. There’s more information here on how to tune in.
How do I register to vote?
Alaska offers online registration, but voters have to register 30 days before the election for most races. (You can register on Election Day, but if you do, you’ll only be able to vote for president.)
This year, the voter registration deadline is Sunday, Oct. 6.
The easiest way for most people to register is by visiting voterregistration.alaska.gov. All you need is a current Alaska driver’s license or state ID card to register or update your information. Many people register online while applying for their Permanent Fund dividends at the beginning of the year. There’s no harm in registering more than once.
If you don’t have a state ID card or driver’s license, you can register using a paper form (read the instructions on the back!) and either mail it to the Division of Elections or register in person at a Division of Elections office, a Division of Motor Vehicles office, a city or borough clerk’s office, a public library, or some other state offices listed at the Division of Elections’ website. You must hand-write your signature if using a paper form — no e-signatures.
Division of Elections offices are open during regular business hours. They’re also open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, the registration deadline, for people who would like to register in person.
To register, you must be a U.S. citizen, an Alaska resident and 18 years of age or older on Election Day. You must not be registered in another state, unless you’re willing to cancel your registration in that state.
You also must not have been convicted of a felony of “moral turpitude” — violent crimes, fraud and others that appear on a state-maintained list — unless your voting rights have been restored. The ACLU of Alaska has additional resources at its website for people convicted of crimes. Misdemeanor convictions do not disqualify you from voting.
How can I find my polling place or check on my voter registration?
The Division of Elections’ My Voter Portal allows you to look up your current registration information. Make sure you’re registered at your current address.
The portal also lists the name and address of your polling location. On Election Day, Nov. 5, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
You can access the portal at myvoterportal.alaska.gov.
What do I need to bring to the polling place?
To vote, you need to bring an ID. That can include a driver’s license or state ID card, a military ID, a voter registration card, a hunting or fishing license, a birth certificate or a utility bill, government check, bank statement, paycheck or another government document that includes the voter’s name and current address, according to the Division of Elections.
Will I be automatically mailed a ballot?
No. You will not be mailed a ballot unless you request an absentee ballot.
This is different from municipal elections in communities that conduct elections primarily by mail, including Anchorage and Juneau. You will not be mailed a ballot for the Nov. 5 election unless you specifically request one.
How can I request a mail ballot?
Alaska is a no-excuse absentee voting state, which means voters don’t have to give a specific reason for voting by mail. Everyone can vote by mail.
If you have a valid Alaska driver’s license or state ID card, you can request an absentee ballot online at absenteeballotapplication.alaska.gov. Paper absentee ballot applications are available at the Division of Elections’ absentee and early voting page. Advocacy groups and campaigns also often mail applications to voters as a convenience as part of their get-out-the-vote effort; you only need to submit one absentee ballot application.
The deadline to request an absentee-by-mail ballot is Oct. 26. You must also be registered to vote by Oct. 6, the registration deadline.
Ballots are mailed to people who request them starting “approximately 25 days” prior to the election, according to the Division of Elections, but they may be mailed sooner. This year, 25 days before the election is Oct. 11.
Ballots must be postmarked at a post office or dropped off at a polling location by Election Day, Nov. 5. This year’s ballots require two stamps, but the U.S. Postal Service will still deliver them with insufficient postage.
You can check the status of your absentee ballot using the My Voter Portal at myvoterportal.alaska.gov.
Special provisions are made for military, overseas and other voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. There’s more information about military and overseas voting at the Division of Elections’ website.
What about early voting?
Early voting starts 15 days before Election Day. This year, early voting starts Oct. 21.
In some locations, only a form of early voting called “absentee-in-person” voting is available. It is very similar to ordinary early voting.
A list of early voting and absentee-in-person voting locations is available at elections.alaska.gov/avo. The hours of operation vary by location.
When will we know the election results?
The first batch of results is expected around 9 p.m. on Election Day, with updates through the evening and possibly into the early morning hours as additional ballots are counted. The initial results will reflect voters’ first-choice votes.
Because absentee ballots can arrive as late as 15 days after Election Day, counting will continue as additional votes trickle in. The Division of Elections will post updated counts on Nov. 13, Nov. 15 and Nov. 20.
The Division of Elections plans to calculate the winners of the ranked choice election on the 15th day after Election Day, Nov. 20, once all ballots are counted. This is necessary to determine the winners of races where no candidate got more than 50% of the first-choice vote — it’s like an automatic runoff election.
The results will remain unofficial until they’re certified by the State Review Board. The target date for certification is Nov. 30.