Elections

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

A woman in a jacket leaving a flyer on a door.

Dozens of first-time Alaska legislative candidates are trying to make their mark before Election Day

First-time candidates are often trying to build name recognition and scrape together donors to fuel their barebones campaigns. We spoke to three candidates for House who are making their final push before Election Day.
a sign

Ranked choice voting likely to be important in North Anchorage House race

In a district holding Government Hill, JBER and part of Muldoon — and known for low voter turnout — two Democrats are challenging a Republican incumbent.
candidate signs

Election in West Anchorage could be key to control of Alaska state Senate

Two veteran lawmakers running against each other have much in common but one big difference: their views on the value of bipartisanship.
An unvoted ballot and a pen

Strategic voting is possible but risky on a ranked choice ballot, mathematicians say

Voting strategically could mean accidentally contributing to the defeat of a candidate you prefer.
a woman's mugshot

Officials: Woman charged with voting in Florida and Alaska

Cheryl Ann Leslie, 55, told Florida investigators that her work as a physician assistant required extensive travel between multiple states.
3 people sit around a desk, another joins them on a TV over Zoom.

Learn about Alaska’s candidates running for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate before Election Day 2022

Lori Townsend and reporters discuss candidates running Governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
A crowd of young people with signs protesting climate change inaction.

Alaska voters say they’re worried about climate change. Here’s where the candidates stand.

Alaska is at the forefront of climate change in the U.S. — it’s warming faster than any other state, and more than 60% of Alaskans say it’s an issue they’re concerned about. 

Alaska Senate could see flip to coalition control if Republicans remain divided after election

With Republicans showing divisions in the state Senate, there's speculation that a coalition majority like in the House could form there as well.
an Anchorage school

Anchorage schools will close on Election Day in response to elections officials’ request

Anchorage schools will be closed Tuesday on Election Day, with students working from home because of a request from the Alaska Division of Elections.

Will the Alaska House have another coalition majority checking the governor? For now, it’s hard to say.

With Alaska's Election Day less than a week away, one of the biggest questions is whether there will again be a coalition majority in control of the state House.
Dillingham voters

$20K will go to Bristol Bay communities with high voter turnout this election

A total of $20,000 will go to Bristol Bay communities with high turnout in next week’s election.
Alaska youth

Angst over youth outmigration emerges in Alaska campaign rhetoric and debates

University funding, career prospects and lifestyle amenities are factors cited as important to young Alaskans pondering their futures.
Mary Peltola and Lisa Murkowski

Murkowski, Peltola deliver crash course in government to Dillingham students

On Halloween, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Mary Peltola spent some time chatting with a room full of students dressed as butterflies, pirates, Minions and mimes.
A woman in a blue shirt helping another woman with her voting ballot

How Alaska handles election security

Answers to six frequently asked questions.

Alaska election officials now say all voting precincts will be staffed on Election Day

A day earlier, they feared as many as 10 rural precincts would be unstaffed.
Alaska 2022 gubernatorial candidates

Here’s what Alaska’s gubernatorial candidates say they’ll do about the state housing shortage

An early-October forum in Anchorage addressed the issue and the topic of homelessness, but not everyone was there.

Election denialism lingers in Alaska’s congressional races

A group tracking political extremism has labeled Sarah Palin and Kelly Tshibaka as election deniers.
a person shows texts on her phone

‘My phone is constantly blowing up’: Alaska voters contend with increase in campaign text messages

Are you getting a lot of text messages from candidates running for office? You're not alone.
two men, one standing

In Republican Mat-Su, voters are choosing between different conservatives

The tight race between Sen. Mike Shower and challenger Doug Massie is focusing on effectiveness and implications for the state’s only booming region.
Photographs of a white woman and a multiracial woman side by side.

Walker and Gara band together in Alaska governor’s race with a joint ad against Dunleavy

The ad, featuring Walker’s running mate Heidi Drygas and Gara’s running mate Jessica Cook, says both campaigns would rather the other side win, than Gov. Mike Dunleavy.