Elections

All elections stories. (These stories are also categorized as “politics”.)

the Alaska Constitution

Alaska Rep. Eastman, contending with Red Scare-era disloyalty clause, advances toward trial

The roots of Alaska’s disloyalty clause come from a Hawaiian dockworkers’ strike in the 1940s.

Alaska certifies November election results

The closest race is House District 15, where Republican incumbent Tom McKay leads Democrat Denny Wells by just seven votes.
the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly chambers

4 candidates file to replace Charlie Pierce as Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor

The borough is holding a special election for the mayoral seat on Feb. 14.

‘You will not see a repeat of 2019’: Looking back at Dunleavy’s first term and what’s to come

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is the first Republican governor in Alaska to be reelected in more than 40 years. But observers say his second term won't repeat much of his first.
Alaska state senators

In new bipartisan Alaska Senate majority of 17, members vow compromise and consensus

All nine elected Democrats and eight of the 11 elected Republicans have joined what the incoming Senate President Gary Stevens calls "a very healthy majority."
a woman in glasses speaks to a man in a baseball cap

Next act for Sarah Palin is unclear after Alaska U.S. House losses

One consultant says Palin, the 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee, could have “run away” with Alaska's 2022 U.S. House races but didn’t seem focused.
A sparsely attended public hearing on applicants for two judge positions

Voter approval of Alaska judges is hitting an all-time low, and justice system experts aren’t sure why

Alaska doesn’t track with other politically conservative states, which tend to have the highest approval ratings for their judges.
voting stickers

Two years after contentious 2020 vote, Alaska finds only three voter fraud cases

Despite claims by some Alaskans that fraudulent voting changed the state’s election results two years ago, no evidence of fraud on that scale has been uncovered by investigators.

Peltola wins Alaska’s U.S. House race by 10 point margin

Congresswoman Mary Peltola came out nearly 10 points ahead of Republican Sarah Palin.
Lisa Murkowski

Murkowski wins Alaska’s U.S. Senate race

With ranked choices tabulated, Murkowski got 53.7% of the vote to Kelly Tshibaka’s 46.3%.
am an speaks into a microphone

Alaska Gov. Dunleavy is reelected to second term

Gov. Mike Dunleavy won a second term outright, with 50.3% of the vote.
Mike Dunleavy

Republicans hold majority in Alaska House after benefiting from ranked choice voting

Republicans hold 21 of the 40 seats in the Alaska House of Representatives after the first full run of Alaska’s new ranked choice voting system.
two people vote in voting booths inside

Missed the ranked choice vote count? Here’s the recording.

Wednesday is the day Alaskans have been waiting for — ranked choice voting tabulation will take place at the Alaska Division of Elections headquarters in Juneau.
Two men counting voter ballots

Here’s what to expect during Alaska’s ranked choice tabulation this afternoon

By Wednesday, Nov. 23, workers will be done counting the first choice votes on everyone’s ballot. This year, there’s an additional step – called tabulation or sorting.

The latest vote tallies in Alaska’s first ranked choice general election

View live results for Alaska's 2022 governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House races.
A Man in a plaid shirt, playing with his children

‘Pins and needles’: Alaska legislative candidates in close races wait out election results

Legislative candidates are handling the weekslong wait in different ways. For Cathy Giessel, it’s spending some time catching up on less political activities, like quilting.
Alaska House chambers

Judge dismisses eligibility lawsuit against Anchorage Democrat, but the suit may return

Anchorage Superior Court Judge Herman Walker on Friday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of Democratic state House candidate Jennie Armstrong.

Murkowski takes the lead in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race

Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is now ahead of GOP challenger Kelly Tshibaka by 1,658 votes in updated election results Friday, which leaves her almost certain to win reelection. 
portraits of two women and a man

In a historic first, Alaskans set to elect 3 LGBTQ lawmakers to state Legislature

In its more than 60-year history, Alaska has never had an openly LGBTQ state lawmaker. Now, Alaska voters are set to send three down to Juneau.
Neal Foster

A Facebook campaign and dividend memories influenced Alaska’s closest legislative election

In House District 39 along the Bering Strait, only 10 votes separate a longtime incumbent and his challenger.