Alaska Voting Guide

Voting in Alaska

Alaskans have many opportunities to vote for their elected leaders. The State of Alaska holds the following types of elections:

• General election
  • Presidential elections
  • U.S. Senate elections
• Primary election (voting to select candidates to represent political parties in a general election)
• State elections (for state-wide offices like the Alaska Senate)
  • State-wide ballot measures
• Municipal elections
• Regional Educational Attendance Area (school board elections)

Ranked Choice Voting

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in its general elections. Voters rank their choice of candidates and the candidate with at least 51% of the vote wins the election. If no candidate wins during the first round of counting, election officials eliminate the last-place candidate from each subsequent round of counting. This process continues until a candidate achieves over 50% of the vote.

Voting Choices

In Alaska, you have the following options to cast your vote:

• In-person
• In-person absentee
• Vote absentee

Am I eligible to vote in Alaska?

To vote in Alaska elections, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 18 years of age or within 90 days of your 18th birthday
• Live in Alaska and your election district for at least 30 days before an election
• Register to vote on or before the registration deadline, and not registered to vote anywhere else

You cannot vote in Alaska elections if:

• You have a felony conviction involving moral turpitude and the State has not restored your voting rights

When is Alaska’s voter registration deadline?

Alaska’s voter registration deadline is at least 30 days before an election.

Is there absentee voting in Alaska?

You can get an absentee ballot by mail, email, or fax. You must submit your absentee ballot application for an absentee ballot ten days before Election Day.

You do not need a reason to request an absentee ballot in Alaska.

What do I need to bring to the polls in Alaska?

You will need identification at your polling place. You do not have to show a photo ID. Acceptable forms of identification include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Voter ID card
• Driver’s license
• State ID
• Military ID
• U.S. Passport
• Hunting or fishing license
• Tribal identification
• Government check
• Bank statement
• Current utility bill

Are there special accommodations for Alaskan voters?

Alaska’s polling places offer touch-screen voting and accessibility help for voters who need it. You may also designate someone besides the following people to help you vote:

• A political candidate
• An employer
• A representative for your employer or union

Are there language accommodations at the polls?

Alaska provides language assistance to ensure all its citizens can cast a ballot. In addition to English-language ballots, Alaska offers ballots in the following languages:

• Yup’ik​
• Gwich’in​
• Iñupiaq
• Koyukon
• Siberian Yup’ik
• Aleut
• Tagalog
• Spanish

What do I do if I see something illegal at the polls?

You should report any illegal activity you witness at your polling place. You can notify the Alaska Division of Elections if you:

• Witness a crime such as voter fraud or intimidation
• Believe an election official broke the law or abused their discretion
• Experienced a violation of the Help America Vote Act

You have an absolute right to vote if you meet the eligibility requirements. If you experience an unjust violation of this right, you should speak to a civil rights attorney. They are experts in voting rights law and can give you legal advice.