Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Alaska

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Note: This article is not intended to serve as an exhaustive guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Alaska, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

  1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
  2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
  3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Alaska. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Alaska." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

DocumentIcon.jpg See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2024

U.S. Senate

For information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Alaska in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Alaska U.S. House All candidates N/A $100.00 6/1/2024 Source


For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Show more

2022

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Alaska in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Alaska U.S. Senate All candidates N/A $100.00 6/1/2022 Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Alaska in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Alaska U.S. House All candidates N/A $100.00 6/1/2022 Source

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Alaska in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source Notes
Alaska Governor N/A N/A $200.00 6/1/2022 Source $100 each for the gubernatorial and lieutenant-gubernatorial candidates.

2020

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Alaska in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Alaska U.S. Senate Democratic N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska U.S. Senate Independence N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska U.S. Senate Republican N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 2,850 1% of votes cast in the last general election N/A N/A 8/18/2020 Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Alaska in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Alaska, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Alaska At-large District Democratic N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska At-large District Independence N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska At-large District Republican N/A N/A $100.00 Fixed number 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska At-large District Unaffiliated 2,850 1% of votes cast in the last general election N/A N/A 8/18/2020 Source

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Alaska House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Alaska House of Representatives Qualified party N/A $30.00 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska House of Representatives Unaffiliated 1% of the number of voters in the district who cast ballots in the last general election N/A 8/18/2020 Source

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Alaska State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Alaska State Senate Qualified party N/A $30.00 6/1/2020 Source
Alaska State Senate Unaffiliated 1% of the number of voters in the district who cast ballots in the last general election N/A 8/18/2020 Source

2018

See also: State and federal candidate filing deadlines for 2018 and Alaska elections, 2018

See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.

June 1, 2018

2016

See also: Alaska elections, 2016

The table below lists important filing deadlines for political candidates in Alaska in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline Event type Event description
January 19, 2016 Campaign finance Statewide municipal elections 105-day report due
February 15, 2016 Campaign finance Year start report due
March 7, 2016 Campaign finance 30-day report due
March 29, 2016 Campaign finance 7-day report due
June 1, 2016 Ballot access Candidate filing deadline
July 19, 2016 Campaign finance 105-day report due
August 16, 2016 Ballot access Nominating petitions due
August 16, 2016 Election date Primary election
September 6, 2016 Campaign finance 30-day report due
September 27, 2016 Campaign finance 7-day report due
November 8, 2016 Election date General election
Sources: Alaska Division of Elections, "2016-2017 Election Dates," accessed November 25, 2015
Alaska Division of Elections, "No-party Candidate Filing Instructions," accessed November 25, 2015
Alaska Public Offices Commission, "APOC Annual Calendar," accessed November 25, 2015

2015


2014


Process to become a candidate

The first page of a declaration of candidacy form for Alaska state legislative candidates.

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 15.25 of the Alaska Election Law

A person who seeks to become a candidate for office in a primary election must file a declaration of candidacy. This declaration must be made under oath before an authorized officer and must be filed with the Alaska Division of Elections. The form must be delivered in person or by mail at or before 5:00 p.m. on June 1 of the year in which the general election is taking place.[7][8]

At the time of filing a declaration of candidacy, a candidate must pay a nonrefundable filing fee to the Alaska Division of Elections. For the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, United States Senator, and United States Representative, the filing fee is $100. The filing fee for state legislative candidates is $30. Candidates must also submit a financial disclosure form (for further information on campaign finance requirements, see this article).[9]

Write-in candidates

A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Alaska Division of Elections. The form must be filed no later than five days prior to the general election. A write-in candidate must also file a financial disclosure statement alongside the declaration of intent. If a write-in candidate is running for governor, the candidate must file a joint declaration of intent with a candidate for lieutenant governor.[10][10]

Petition requirements

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 15-25-180 of the Alaska Election Law

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators in Alaska.

Format requirements

An independent, in addition to filing a declaration of candidacy, is required to file a nominating petition containing the required number of signatures for the office being sought. The petition must follow the format below and contain the following information:

“ NOMINATING PETITION FOR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
  1. The full name of the candidate;
  2. The full residence address of the candidate and the date on which residency at that address began;
  3. The full mailing address of the candidate;
  4. The name of the political group, if any, supporting the candidate;
  5. If the candidacy is for the office of state senator or state representative, the house or senate district of which the candidate is a resident;
  6. The office for which the candidate is nominated;
  7. The date of the election at which the candidate seeks election;
  8. The length of residency in the state and in the district of the candidate;
  9. That the subscribers are qualified voters of the state or house or senate district in which the candidate resides;
  10. That the subscribers request that the candidate's name be placed on the general election ballot;
  11. That the proposed candidate accepts the nomination and will serve if elected, with the statement signed by the proposed candidate;
  12. The name of the candidate as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot;
  13. That the candidate is not a candidate for any other office to be voted on at the primary or general election and that the candidate is not a candidate for this office under any other nominating petition or declaration of candidacy;
  14. That the candidate meets the specific citizenship requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate;
  15. That the candidate will meet the specific age requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate; if the candidacy is for the office of state representative, that the candidate will be at least 21 years of age on the first scheduled day of the first regular session of the legislature convened after the election; if the candidacy is for the office of state senator, that the candidate will be at least 25 years of age on the first scheduled day of the first regular session of the legislature convened after the election; and if the candidacy is for the office of governor or lieutenant governor, that the candidate will be at least 30 years of age on the first Monday in December following election or, if the office is to be filled by special election [under Alaska law], that the candidate will be at least 30 years of age on the date of certification of the results of the special election; or, for any other office, by the time that the candidate, if elected, is sworn into office;
  16. That the candidate is a qualified voter; and
  17. If the candidacy is for the office of the governor, the name of the candidate for lieutenant governor running jointly with the candidate for governor.[11][12]
 ”

The relevant Alaska statutes do not stipulate requirements for petition challenges or circulators.

Election-related agencies

Seal of Alaska
See also: State election agencies

Alaska Division of Elections

240 Main Street, Fourth Floor
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: 907-465-4611
Fax: 907-465-3203
Website: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/

Alaska Political Offices Commission

2221 E. Northern Lights, Room 128
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Telephone: 907-276-4176
Toll free: 1-800-478-4176
Fax: 907-276-7018
Email: apoc@alaska.gov
Website: http://doa.alaska.gov/apoc/
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Term limits

State executives

State Executive Officials
See also: State executives with term limits and States with gubernatorial term limits

State executive term limits in Alaska are as follows:[13]

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on Alaska's state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

Portal:Legislative Branch
See also: List of United States Representatives from Alaska and List of United States Senators from Alaska

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from Alaska:

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Alaska
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 1 1
Republican 2 0 2
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 1 3

State legislative partisanship

Portal:State legislatures

Below is the current partisan breakdown of members of the state legislature of Alaska.

Alaska State Senate

Party As of January 2024
     Democratic Party 9
     Republican Party 11
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 20

Alaska House of Representatives

Party As of January 2024
     Democratic Party 13
     Republican Party 22
     Independent 4
     Nonpartisan 1
     Vacancies 0
Total 40

Related legislation

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The embedded table below lists state bills affecting ballot access requirements for candidates introduced in Alaska. The following information is included for each bill:

  • State
  • Bill number
  • Official name or caption
  • Most recent action date
  • Legislative status
  • Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, simply click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia’s comprehensive Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker is the basis for this data. This user-friendly tracker covers thousands of election-related bills in state legislatures, and organizes them by topic with neutral, expert analysis from Ballotpedia’s election administration researchers.

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See also

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External links

Official state and federal links

Other information

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Alaska Public Offices Commission, "Reporting Deadlines for Candidates in Municipal Elections," accessed February 9, 2015
  2. ↑ Secretary of State Division of Elections Candidate Information, "Political Party Candidates," accessed October 31, 2013
  3. ↑ Alaska Statutes, "Section 15.25, Nomination of Candidates," accessed October 31, 2013
  4. ↑ Secretary of State Division of Elections Candidate Information, "No Party or Nominating Petition Candidates," accessed October 31, 2013
  5. ↑ Secretary of State Division of Elections Candidate Information, "Write-in Candidates," accessed October 31, 2013
  6. ↑ Alaska Statutes, "Section 15.80.008, Recognized Political Party Status," accessed November 4, 2013
  7. ↑ Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.040," accessed March 24, 2014
  8. ↑ Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.030," accessed October 10, 2023
  9. ↑ Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.050," accessed October 10, 2023
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Secretary of State Division of Elections Candidate Information, "Write-in Candidates," accessed October 10, 2023
  11. ↑ Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.180," accessed March 25, 2014
  12. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  13. ↑ Alaska Constitution, "Article III, Section 5 and Section 8," accessed November 4, 2013
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