The Alaska primary election is next Tuesday, August 18. This is an open primary. All candidates for each seat are listed on the ballot. Voters may choose one candidate in each race. The top four vote getters in each race will be on the ballot in November.
Ballot Measure 1 is on the Primary ballot. It would reinstate campaign contribution limits if passed. Two additional ballot measures will be decided in November.
The Division of Elections oversees statewide elections. This includes U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state Senate and House seats, and judicial retention elections. Municipal elections, such as city, borough and school district races, are handled by local election officials. Houston, Palmer and Wasilla elections are on October 6. The borough elections are on November 3.
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. It’s a good idea to check your voting location before heading to the polls. Locations can change from one election to another. You can look up your polling location on myvoterportal.alaska.gov.
Early voting is underway. Mat-Su voters can vote early at the Mat-Su Borough building in Palmer on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. through next Monday. Any voter registered in the State of Alaska can vote early at the Menard Center. The center will be open Monday – Friday 8 a.m.– 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday noon – 4:00 p.m. It will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Preliminary election results will begin to be released about an hour after polls close next Tuesday. These initial numbers are not final. Alaska’s size, remote communities, and overseas voters mean that absentee ballots will continue to arrive after Election Day.
Absentee ballots must be postmarked by August 18 and received by August 28. Final results will be reported on August 28. The Division of Elections plans to provide ongoing updates, including results by precinct and region. The target date for certification of the primary election is August 31.
Voters who want to check whether a ballot was counted can check myvoterportal.alaska.gov. If you can’t see your data, there are links to contact information.
Elections.alaska.gov is another useful resource. Voters can find polling and early-voting locations, hours, sample ballots, candidate biographies and position statements, and information about ballot measures.
Accessible versions, including audio information for candidate statements, are also available. Our regional Division of Elections office in Wasilla can provide printed information or mail materials to voters who prefer not to use the internet. You can call them at (907) 373-8952.
Here’s the bottom line. Before voting on election day: check your poll location, confirm the hours, review your ballot, and understand that election-night numbers are preliminary. Certified results are reported after all eligible ballots have been received, processed, and counted.
Please vote.
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Mike Chmielewski reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Monday August 10, 2026.
Image: Sample ballot front side from elections.alaska.gov