James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
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Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and X.


a man in a tie stands in a meeting room

Alaska Rep. Eastman remains on ballot but could be disqualified after election

The Alaska Constitution’s "disloyalty clause" will be tested in a Dec. 12 trial on Wasilla Republican David Eastman's eligibility to hold office.
a man in a tie stands in a meeting room

State judge to decide eligibility of Alaska lawmaker linked to Oath Keepers

A Matanuska-Susitna Borough man says Rep. David Eastman has violated the "disloyalty clause" of the Alaska Constitution.
a man and a woman at a podium

Judge: Alaska elections officials must enforce disloyalty clause

An Anchorage Superior Court judge ruled that the Alaska Division of Elections has a duty to determine whether a candidate for public office is ineligible for disloyalty.
a headshot of a man in a suit who is smiling

Kenai Peninsula Borough paid more than $260,000 to settle complaints against Pierce

Borough employees and elected officials have declined to confirm the existence of another complaint.
photographers taking photos of two people watching a computer

Five takeaway lessons from Alaska’s first ranked choice election

Political advisers, pollers and independent observers say there are five early lessons from Alaska’s first ranked choice election.
a sign at a polling place

Two rural Alaska communities failed to open polling places on election day

Alaska Division of Elections officials say voting stations in the state's Aug. 16 special election did not open in Tununak and Atmautluak.
a portrait of a man with a screen behind him

Kurka calls on Pierce to resign from Alaska governor’s race, citing unconfirmed harassment claim

If Charlie Pierce and his running mate quit before Tuesday, Christopher Kurka would fill the No. 4 spot in the general election.
a person with a red pen and paper

Here’s how Alaska’s first ranked choice election will be counted

When preliminary results are announced at 4 p.m. Wednesday, it will reveal the likely winner.

Alaska’s new primary election system showed who voters favored, but it only cut one legislative candidate

As Alaska Beacon reporter James Brooks points out, the votes tallied Tuesday mostly amount to a state-sponsored poll with a nice, big sample size.
ballots go into a scanner

Final U.S. House results won’t be available until Aug. 31 as officials wait for overseas votes

Officials won’t put the ‘ranked’ into ranked choice voting until all ballots arrive.

Supreme Court rules against forward funding for education, confirms limit on legislative power

The decision settles a three-year-old dispute between the Legislature and Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
a woman wearing glasses stands up in a meeting room

Legislative committee boosts budget for Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. investigation

Members of the committee hired a special investigator in January to determine whether political factors played a role in the firing of Angela Rodell.

As Congress prepares to pass climate bill, Alaska environmentalists see more harm than good

“Our view on this bill is ultimately, it causes more harm than good,” said Emily Sullivan, communications director for the Northern Alaska Environmental Center.
a sign says "Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation"

Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. posts negative returns for first time since 2012

There are no immediate impacts to state finances, but continued losses would reduce available cash for services and dividends.
a man in a tie stands in a meeting room

Alaska legislator, member of Oath Keepers, faces lawsuit challenging his eligibility for office

Members of the Oath Keepers, including the group’s founder, have been accused of crimes linked to the Jan. 6 riots.
Exterior: A fuel barge underway

In rural Alaska, communities contemplate a double whammy from high fuel costs

Annual fuel deliveries are arriving with prices near record highs, crimping the budgets of small towns and villages with no road access.
a black and white photo of Adak Island

Alaska sues Interior Department over contaminated ANCSA lands

The state of Alaska has sued the U.S. Department of the Interior in an attempt to hold the federal government responsible for the identification of thousands of polluted sites on land given to Alaska...
A group of people pose with an approved bill.

Alaska will formally recognize Native tribes, likely negating planned ballot measure

Gov. Mike Dunleavy will sign a tribal-recognition bill next week, the Alaska Federation of Natives said on Thursday.
Exterior: An office building

Almost 1 in 5 Alaska state jobs is vacant as agencies struggle to hire, retain employees

The vacancies are slowing services, canceling ferries and could strain the Alaska Permanent Fund.
man in gray suit speaks into microphones

Dunleavy leads early fundraising for Alaska governor’s race

Incumbent Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has raised more money than any other candidate in Alaska's governor's race, according to the latest reports.