Alaska’s primary for the special election to fill our open Congressional seat has begun. This seat was held by the late Congressman Don Young for nearly fifty years – and now, forty-eight candidates are running to fill it. This election will be the first to utilize Alaska’s new voting system.

The June primary, for which ballots have already been sent, will be conducted primarily by mail. Voters will select one out of the 48 candidates – their top choice – then mail back their ballot using the included preaddressed, prepaid envelope. A limited number of polling places will be open for early and absentee voting prior to election day, but the election will otherwise be conducted by mail.

To be accepted, each ballot must include the voter’s signature, a witness signature and an identifier such as birth date, driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day: June 11, 2022. Ballots may also be hand delivered at any of the five regional offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome, and Wasilla on or before June 11.

You do not need to apply for a ballot; however, if you have not received a ballot by June 1, contact any Division of Elections office to request a replacement. You can now choose to track your ballot by text, email or phone.

Make sure you have set aside enough time to thoroughly review the candidate list to ensure you are selecting the candidate who is most aligned with your values and vision for Alaska prior to filling out your ballot. Remember, you can only select one candidate during the primary! The August general election will allow voters to rank the final four candidates in order of preference; while the June primary only allows for one candidate – your top choice – to be selected.

Read Sealaska’s guide to this year’s elections or visit the Alaska Divisions of Elections website for more information.  

Take care and remember to vote your values. Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa, T’oya̱xsut ‘nüüsm!