Tuesday, Nov. 3 is Election Day.
All eyes are on Alaska, with the state’s United States Senate race as one of several that could decide what party controls the upper chamber of Congress. What’s projected to be a neck and neck race between Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola will play out today as Alaskans cast their votes.
But tight races for seats in the Alaska Legislature and state ballot measures are also being decided today.
How can I vote today?
Polls across Alaska are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Preliminary election results will be released late on Nov. 3, though the Alaska Division of Elections does not expect ballots to be certified until Nov. 25.
You can find your local polling location on the Alaska Division of Elections website. If the polling location in your community does not open by 7:00 a.m., contact the Western Alaska regional office for the Alaska Division of Elections at 907-443-5285.
In Bethel, the polling location for Precinct 1 and Precinct 2 are combined at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center at 401 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway. The city’s bus system is offering free rides to and from the polls. Their schedule is available on the city’s website.
The deadline to vote by mail has passed. Those who received a by-mail ballot must ensure that their ballot is postmarked Nov. 3, which is the final deadline to be counted.
Voters can view a sample ballot available in English, Yup'ik, and Cup'ik languages as well as others on the Alaska Division of Elections website before voting at the polls.
This midterm election is ranked-choice voting, meaning that voters will have the option to rank candidates in the order of their preference. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-rank votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is then eliminated. Then, the second-choice candidate of voters who chose that bottom candidate first is counted until a candidate reaches more than 50% of votes.
What's on the ballot?
In addition to the nationally-watched race for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat, candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and Alaska Governor will also appear on the ballot.
Voters in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta are split between house districts 37, 38, and 39, depending on residency.
House District 38 candidate Joseph Amik’s name will appear on the ballot, though he has withdrawn from the race.
The Alaska Senate districts S and T are also on the ballot in the Y-K Delta.
And voters will decide on two ballot measures. Ballot Measure 2 would repeal Alaska’s open primaries and ranked choice voting system, and would remove a finance disclosure rule for political campaigns.
The other, Ballot Measure 3, appeals to change state statute language around state voter qualifications for non-U.S. citizens.
Voters will also decide on the retention of an Alaska Supreme Court judge, as well as Bethel District and Superior Court judges.
