How to Vote in Alaska

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2026 is an election year. This year, races will include the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Governor, Alaska Senate, Alaska House of Representatives, and ballot measures. If you want to familiarize yourself with your ballot before you hit the polls, sample ballots will be posted on the Division of Elections website 50 days prior to the election.

How to vote in Alaska

Visit the Division of Elections website to:

• Register to vote
• Apply for an absentee ballot
• Find your closest polling location
• Check your registration status

For text message updates from AARP Alaska with voter information and deadlines, text “AKVOTES” to 22777.

Recent voting changes in Alaska

Changes may impact how you vote in the 2026 primary and general elections:

• Alaska implemented ranked-choice voting and a top-four open primary in 2022.
• An interim redistricting plan in 2022 changed some boundaries of state legislative districts. Last year, the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted the 2022 plan as the final plan, which will remain in effect until 2032.

What is a top-four open primary?

Learn more about the top-four open primary here.

How does ranked-choice voting work? 

For the general election, Alaska uses ranked-choice voting. You’ll be given a ballot that allows you to rank candidates in order of preference. You may rank as many or as few candidates as you’d like. If you don’t want to rank a candidate, leave their row blank. You may also write in a candidate.

In the first round of vote counting, only voters’ first preferences are tallied. For a candidate to win, the candidate must receive a majority — 50 percent plus one vote — of all first-choice votes cast. If no candidate gets a majority, a second round of tallying is conducted. In the second round, the last-place candidate from round one is eliminated, and the second-choice votes of people who voted for the eliminated candidate are counted. This process continues until one candidate reaches over 50 percent of the votes or until there are two candidates remaining, and the candidate with the most votes wins.

Read more about ranked-choice voting on the Division of Elections website.

Voting absentee and/or with a disability

Alaska is a no-excuse voting state. In Alaska, anyone can apply to vote by absentee ballot by mail, fax, or online delivery, including voters with disabilities and nursing home residents. Applications open January 1st of every year. Anyone may vote using early or in-person voting.

Note: If you live in Anchorage or Juneau, you might be used to receiving your ballot in the mail without having to request one. That’s because those communities use vote-by-mail for all municipal elections. No matter where you live in Alaska, you will need to apply to receive your absentee ballot for state and national elections.

Find more information on the Division of Elections website.

Ballot measures and initiatives

Review active ballot measures and petitions on the state website.

Anchorage Legislative Candidate Community Forum

Join the discussion at our community forum to meet Anchorage legislative candidates, ask them your questions, and hear where they stand on key issues impacting older Alaskans. Free food and drink tickets provided.

Wednesday, September 30, 2026
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
49^th State Brewing Heritage Theater
717 W. 3^rd Avenue, Anchorage
Save your seat here.

Alaska Native voting resources

Native communities in Alaska have a long history of civic engagement and advocacy. Organizations across the state continue to work to ensure voters in rural and remote communities have access to the information and resources they need to participate in elections. For voter registration information, election resources, Native-focused educational materials, and opportunities to support civic participation in Native communities, visit Get Out The Native Vote.

Get involved

Make your voice heard by volunteering to be an e-activist.

Discover AARP events near you.

Also of interest

• Find voter guides for all 50 states
• Stay up to date with AARP newsletters
• Read about AARP’s voter research