Voting & Elections Toolkits

Deadline

• Voter registration applications must be received or postmarked on or before at least 30 days prior to an election.
• July 19, 2020 is the registration deadline for the August 18, 2020 primary election
• October 4, 2020 is the deadline for in-person registration and postmark of mail-in registration for the November 3, 2020 general election.
• Guidelines: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/whocanregisterandwhocanvote.php
• Election Calendar: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/electioncalendar.php

Online registration

To use the Online Voter Registration System, you must have a valid Alaska driver's license or state ID card and the information you enter when registering must match the information on your Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) record. If you do not have a valid Alaska driver's license or state ID, or your information cannot be validated, you may select to register using a paper registration form.

Online registration form: https://voterregistration.alaska.gov/

Mail-in registration

Print a paper form to complete and sign. Send your completed form by mail, fax or email attachment to a Regional Elections Office.

When registering to vote send a copy of either your current driver’s license, state ID, passport or birth certificate with your paper form.

Printable form: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/forms/C03-Fill-In.pdf

Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.

Choosing a political party   

You may choose a political party affiliation when you register, but it is not required.

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation, use the voter registration form.

Cancelling registration

The Registrar of Voters is maintained by the state Division of Alaska. Voters may cancel their registrations by phone or mail:

Cancel by Telephone

• Cancel your voter registration in Alaska by contacting your Regional Elections Office.
  • Be prepared to provide your name and an identifier (voter number, Alaska driver's license number or state identification number, date of birth or last four of your Social Security Number).

Cancel in Writing

• Send a statement requesting your registration be canceled with your name and an identifier (voter number, Alaska driver's license number or state identification number, date of birth or last four of your Social Security Number).
  • Send your written request by email
  • Or, send your written request by fax or mail to your Regional Elections Office.

ID Requirements for Voting

When approaching the election worker table, you will be asked for identification by the precinct register worker such as: Voter ID card, driver’s license, state ID, military ID, passport, hunting or fishing license or other current or valid photo ID.

NOTE: If you do not have the one of the identifications listed above, you may present a current utility bill or paycheck, government check or bank statement or other government issued document.

More information: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/votingatthepollsonelectionday.php

Where to get an ID

Department of Motor Vehicles

• Locations: http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/office/index.htm

Obtaining a Driver’s License

• New license: http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/akol/
• Transferring from another state: http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/akol/new2ak.htm
• Obtaining a non-driver photo ID: http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/akol/stateid.htm

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

• Ballots are mailed to active military members, spouses and dependents and U.S. citizens temporarily or permanently living overseas beginning 45 days prior to each Primary and General Election Day. 
• Ballots are mailed to voters who selected the advance ballot due to living, working or traveling in remote Alaska or who may be traveling overseas ballots are mailed beginning 45 days prior to each Primary and General Election Day. 
• All other ballots are mailed to voters approximately 25 days prior to each Primary and General Election Day. 
• Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day. 

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

• Military voters and voters who reside outside the United States may vote by mail, fax or online delivery.: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/militaryandoverseasvoters.php
• Overseas ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day. 

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

• Alaska is a no excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may vote using the early and in-person absentee voting options. 

Application for Absentee Ballot: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/votingbymail.php

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator to find your polling place: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/wheretovoteandhours.php
• For a general election or primary, polls in Alaska are from 7:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. 
• Time off to vote: Employers are required to give an employee as much time off “as will enable voting,” unless the polls are open for two nonworking hours before or after the employee’s work shift. Time off for voting must be paid. Alaska Stat. § 15.15.100.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Lyft (www.lyft.com) provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Republican Party: https://alaskagop.net/about/districts/
  • Democratic Party: http://www.alaskademocrats.org/groups-caucuses

Help for disabled voters

• Alaska help for voters with disabilities: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/disabledvoterassistance.php
• In Alaska, you voters with disabilities may have a person help in voting: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/accessibilityassistanceforvoters.php
• Voters with disabilities may also appoint a representative to vote for them: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/specialneedsvoting.php

Ballots

Where to get more info on candidates

• Candidate lists: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/candidatelist.php
• Official Election Pamphlets: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/publications.php 

Referenda: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/ballotmeasuresonballot.php

Sample ballots

• 2020 Primary Election and prior years: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/sampleballots.php
  • Sample ballots will be posted approximately 40 days prior to the August 18, 2020 Primary Election.
• 2018 General Election and prior years: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/sampleballots.php
  • Sample ballots will be posted approximately 50 days prior to the November 3, 2020 General Election.

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• Sample ballots: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/sampleballots.php
• Certificates of endorsement by political parties: not provided in Alaska.

Important Dates

Election Day is November 3, 2020.

Dates of municipal elections can be found on the cities city clerk's page. Most municipalities have elections in October during odd years. Anchorage holds theirs in April. 

Who conducts elections?

• The Alaska Division of Elections in the Lt. Governor's Office oversees statewide and Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA)  elections
• The Alaska Division maintains voter rolls for state, REAA and local elections.
• City/Borough Clerks prepare ballots and administer balloting for each municipality/borough.

Voter Bill of Rights

As of October 2019, Alaska does not have a voter bill of rights.

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

• Complaints about state and federal office elections should be taken to the Alaska Regional Elections Offices: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/contactregionalelectionsoffices.php
• Complaints about local elections should go to the city or borough clerk's office. You can find contacts for these entities by using your favorite search engine or using the somewhat clunky but official Alaska Contacts Directory available through: https://dcra-cdo-dcced.opendata.arcgis.com/
• Complaints about campaign finances should be filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission: http://doa.alaska.gov/apoc/forms/forms_complaint.html

Campaign finance

The Alaska Public Offices Commission (https://doa.alaska.gov/apoc/SearchReports/index.html) provides access to candidates’ election committee and Political Action Committee campaign finance filings.

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/electedofficials.php