Dozens of Alaska candidates who are vying for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate will be eliminated in the Aug. 18 primary, after which only the top four vote getters in each race will advance to the November general election.
However, voters in most State House and Senate districts will see every candidate advance automatically to the November general election. In fact, only in five contests will the top-four primary actually cut the field.
Under Alaska’s jungle primary system, all candidates for a given office appear on a single primary ballot regardless of party affiliation. Voters pick one and the top four finishers move on to the ranked-choice general election in November.
Under the former system, Democrats, Republicans and other parties held their own primaries and winnowed the field to one candidate who represents the party in the general election. That system was thrown out when ranked-choice voting was narrowly approved back in 2020.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Of the 10 State Senate seats and 40 State House seats on the ballot this year, the vast majority have four or fewer candidates. Only these races exceed that threshold:
— Senate District S (Southwest Alaska, covering Bristol Bay, the Aleutians and parts of the Kuskokwim region): Five candidates are competing for the open seat left by retiring Democrat Sen. Lyman Hoffman. They are Republican Darren Deacon, undeclared Bryce Edgmon (the former House speaker who caucuses with Democrats), Democrat Wassilie P. “WG” Guy, undeclared Wayne A. Morgan, and nonpartisan Richard “Rick” Robb. Four will advance to the general election in November.
— House District 23 (Eagle River): Incumbent Republican Jamie Allard faces four challengers for a total of five candidates: Democrats Jim Arlington and Lee Hammermeister, and Republicans Nick Capozzi and Ruby Jones.
— House District 29 (eastern Mat-Su and Valdez area): Appointed Republican incumbent Garret Nelson is in a six-candidate field that also includes Republican Steve Menard, Democrat Kimberly Slone, Libertarian Candice Frisby, undeclared Amber Hansen, and nonpartisan Jessica Kusner-Kalarchik.
— House District 30 (western Mat-Su and Big Lake area): Republican incumbent Kevin McCabe faces four challengers for a total of five candidates: Republicans Mike Alexander, Doyle Holmes and Doug Massie, and Democrat Sandra Loomis.
— House District 37 (Southwest Alaska, including Bristol Bay, the Aleutians and the Kuspuk region): Seven candidates are running for the open seat Edgmon is leaving to seek the Senate. They are undeclared Peter Angasan and Kimberly Johnson, Democrats Dennis Robinson and Evelynn Trefon, Republican Brenda Wilson, and nonpartisans Mark Smith and Cade Woods.
In addition to these five contests, the primary results for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House will also eliminate candidates. All other candidates will automatically move on to the general election.
In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan is vying for a third term against a field of 16 candidates, including leftwing Democrat Mary Peltola. For U.S. House, incumbent Republican Nick Begich is seeking is second term against a field of 15 challengers. For Alaska governor, 17 candidates are in the mix.
Voters will also be deciding the fate of Ballot Proposition 1, which seeks to empower the state to restrict how much money an Alaskan is allowed to give to a political candidate running for local or state office, while allowing outside super-PACs unlimited spending.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to read gubernatorial candidate responses to Alaska Watchman questions.
— Click here to find your voting district and polling location for the Aug. 18 primary.
