Alaska decided on 220 ballot measures since 1956—three years before statehood
Between 1956 and 2024, Alaskans voted on 220 state ballot measures. Of those, 158 (72%) were approved and 62 (28%) were defeated.
The Alaska State Legislature has voted to refer 146 ballot measures to the state ballot between 1956 and 2024, while 60 citizen initiatives were on the statewide ballot. Additionally, seven measures were automatic constitutional convention questions, six originated from the state’s constitutional convention, and one was placed on the ballot by a state commission.
Legislatively referred measures were approved 82% of the time, as compared to 52% for citizen initiatives.
The inventory of Alaska statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
Explore the topics below for detailed information:
This section provides a table to search Alaska historical ballot measures by decade and keyword.
This section summarizes notable topics Alaskans have decided on.
This section highlights measures with the closest and widest margins, as well as the breakdown by topic, decade, and type.
This section describes the process of placing a statewide measure on the ballot.
Historic Ballot Measure Lookup Tool
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | IndISS | Establish Campaign Contribution Limits for State and Local Elections Initiative | Establish new campaign contribution limits for campaigns for state and local office | On the ballot |
| 2024 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | Increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour and require employers to provide earned paid sick leave for employees | Approved |
| 2024 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 2 | Repeal the top-four ranked-choice voting (RCV) system that was adopted in 2020 | Defeated |
| 2022 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Ballot Measure 1 | Ask voters whether to hold a state constitutional convention | Defeated |
| 2020 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | Increases taxes on certain oil production in the North Slope | Defeated |
| 2020 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 2 | Changes to Alaska's election policies, including top-four primaries, ranked-choice voting, and campaign finance laws | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | The Alaska Salmon Habitat Protection Standards and Permits Initiative may appear on the ballot in Alaska as an indirect initiated state statute on August 21, 2018, or November 6, 2018, depending on when the 2018 state legislative session adjourns. | Defeated |
| 2016 | LRCA | Ballot Measure 2 | Allow state debt to be contracted for postsecondary student loans | Defeated |
| 2016 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | Register voting-age Alaskans to vote when submitting an annual permanent fund dividend application, unless they opt out | Approved |
| 2014 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 4 | Prohibit mining projects if harmful to wild salmon in fisheries reserve | Approved |
| 2014 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 2 | Decriminalize marijuana in the state | Approved |
| 2014 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 3 | Increase the minimum wage in 2015 and 2016 | Approved |
| 2014 | VR | Ballot Measure 1 | Repeal bill that grants tax breaks to oil companies | Defeated |
| 2012 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | Allow cities and boroughs to increase the residential property tax exemption from $20,000 to $50,000 | Approved |
| 2012 | IndISS | Measure 2 | To establish a new coastal management program | Defeated |
| 2012 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Ballot Measure 1 | Would create a convention to revise, alter or amend the state constitution | Defeated |
| 2012 | BI | Bonding Proposition A | General obligation bonds for the purpose of transportation projects | Approved |
| 2010 | IndISS | Ballot 1 | Prihibit the use of public funds for political campaigns and lobbying and prohibit political contributions from government contractors and their families | Defeated |
| 2010 | LRCA | Ballot Measure 1 | Add four more representatives and two more senators to the Alaska Legislature | Defeated |
| 2010 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 2 | Forbids a minor from getting an abortion without a doctor informing at least one parent | Approved |
| 2010 | BI | Bonding Proposition A | Allow the state to guarantee up to $600 million in revenue bonds issued by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to purchase residential mortgages for qualifying veterans | Approved |
| 2010 | BI | Bonding Proposition B | Issue $397.2 million in general obligation bonds to fund library, education, and educational research facilities | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IndISS | Measure 1 | Create a seven-member gaming commission to regulate gaming activities | Defeated |
| 2008 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Revise the ban on same-day airborne shooting to include grizzly bears | Defeated |
| 2008 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Create a public campaign financing program | Defeated |
| 2008 | IndISS | Measure 4 | Require new metallic mineral mining operations to meet water quality standards that prohibit the discharge or storage of toxic pollutants that adversely affect human health or the life cycle of salmon | Defeated |
| 2008 | BI | Proposition A | Issue $315,050,000 in bonds for the purpose of paying the cost of state transportation projects | Approved |
| 2007 | LRAQ | Constitutional Amendment on Prohibiting Public Employment Benefits to Same-Sex Partners Advisory Question | Ask voters whether to propose a constitution amendment to prohibit public employment benefits to same-sex partners of public employees | Approved |
| 2006 | IndISS | Measure 1 | Decrease the length of legislative sessions from 121 days to 90 days | Approved |
| 2006 | IndISS | Measure 1 | Make changes to campaign finance laws | Approved |
| 2006 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Enact new taxes, regulations, and environmental provisions for certain cruise ships | Approved |
| 2006 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Levy a tax on certain natural gas resources under state lease | Defeated |
| 2004 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Change the signature distribution requirements for initiative and referendum petitions | Approved |
| 2004 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Legalize marijuana | Defeated |
| 2004 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Make it illegal for a person to bait or intentionally feed a bear to hunt, photograph, or view a bear | Defeated |
| 2004 | IndISS | Measure 4 | Repeal the governor’s authority to make temporary appointments to fill U.S. Senate vacancies | Approved |
| 2002 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 1 | Establish ranked-choice voting elections for state legislative, congressional, and presidential elections | Defeated |
| 2002 | BI | Proposition A | Issue $500 million in bonds for purchasing mortgage needs for qualifying veterans | Approved |
| 2002 | BI | Proposition B | Issue $226,719,500 in bonds for transportation projects in Alaska | Approved |
| 2002 | BI | Proposition C | Issue $236.8 million in bonds for educational and museum facilities | Approved |
| 2002 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Measure 1 | Call for a constitutional convention | Defeated |
| 2002 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Move all sessions of the Alaska Legislature to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska | Defeated |
| 2002 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Create the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, which was designed to acquire and condition North Slope natural gas, and construct a pipeline to transport the gas | Approved |
| 2000 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Prohibit ballot initiatives from addressing laws that permit, regulate, or restrict the taking or transporting of wildlife | Defeated |
| 2000 | LRCA | Measure 2 | Provide that an amendment to the Alaska Constitution is a change that is limited to one subject | Defeated |
| 2000 | LRCA | Measure 3 | Provide that the Alaska Permanent Fund would be managed by a public corporation established by law | Defeated |
| 2000 | IndISS | Measure 4 | Cap property tax rates in certain municipalities at 10 mills, among other changes | Defeated |
| 2000 | IndISS | Measure 5 | Remove civil and criminal penalties for persons 18 years or older who use marijuana, or other hemp products | Defeated |
| 2000 | VR | Measure 6 | Repeal a law allowing hunters to use airplanes to land and shoot wolves on the same day they fly in designated areas | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | LRAQ | Permanent Fund Advisory Question | Advise the state government to use portion of the Alaska Permanent Fund to balance the state budget | Defeated |
| 1998 | LRCA | Measure 2 | Define marriage as between a man and a woman | Overturned |
| 1998 | LRCA | Measure 3 | Replace the governor-controlled redistricting process with a redistricting board | Approved |
| 1998 | IndISS | Measure 5 | Prohibit billboards in Alaska | Approved |
| 1998 | IndISS | Measure 6 | Make English the official language of Alaska and requiring all government functions, actions, and documents to be conducted in English, with exceptions | Approved |
| 1998 | IndISS | Measure 7 | Allow congressional and state legislative candidates to sign a term limits pledge and require the ballot to indicate whether a candidate has signed or broken such a pledge | Approved |
| 1998 | IndISS | Measure 8 | Allow patients to use marijuana for certain medical purposes | Approved |
| 1998 | IndISS | Measure 9 | Prohibit a person from using a snare with the intent of trapping a wolf | Defeated |
| 1996 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Require that any changes to the Alaska Statehood Act proposed by Congress be approved either by a majority vote of Alaskan voters or by a two-thirds vote of the state legislature. | Approved |
| 1996 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Prohibit hunting of wild wolves, wolverines, foxes, or lynx on the same day a person was airborne. | Approved |
| 1996 | LRCA | Measure 4 | Express support for an amendment to limit U.S. Senators to two terms and Representatives to three terms, with penalties for lawmakers failing to support the initiative. | Approved |
| 1994 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Ensure the individual right to keep and bear arms, without denial or infringement by the state or political subdivisions. | Approved |
| 1994 | LRCA | Measure 2 | Add the goals of community condemnation of offenders, the rights of crime victims, and restitution by offenders to the constitution. | Approved |
| 1994 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Move the state capital from Juneau to Wasilla. | Defeated |
| 1994 | IndISS | Measure 4 | Enact term limits on U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives, contingent on congressional term limits being adopted in 24 other states | Approved |
| 1994 | IndISS | Measure 5 | Require voter approval of a bond covering all bondable costs before spending state funds to move the capital or legislature | Approved |
| 1992 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Measure 1 | Call a Constitutional Convention. | Defeated |
| 1990 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Create the Budget Reserve Fund | Approved |
| 1990 | IndISS | Measure 1 | Amend laws governing the Alaska Railroad to limit its operations to within Alaska | Defeated |
| 1990 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Create the Alaska Gambling Board and issue licenses for gambling operations with local approval. | Defeated |
| 1990 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Classify all marijuana possession as a criminal offense, with penalties including up to 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine. | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Allow the state to give preference to Alaska residents over non-residents | Approved |
| 1988 | IndISS | Measure 2 | Change civil liability law so that each party in a lawsuit would be responsible only for damages equal to their share of fault | Approved |
| 1988 | IndISS | Measure 3 | Establish a state community college system independent of the University of Alaska | Defeated |
| 1986 | BI | Bonding Proposition A | Issue $600 million in bonds for housing mortgages for qualifying veterans | Approved |
| 1986 | LRCA | Measure 1 | Affirm the constitutional amendment adopted in 1982 that limits annual state appropriations to $2.5 billion | Approved |
| 1986 | IndISS | Measure 1 | Promote a nuclear weapons freeze | Approved |
| 1986 | LRCA | Measure 2 | Permit the legislature to annul executive branch regulations by passing a resolution that is not subject to veto by the governor or repeal by referendum | Defeated |
| 1986 | LRAQ | Measure 3 | Advise the legislature to adopt the annuity option for the longevity bonus program | Approved |
| 1984 | LRCA | Ballot Measure 1 | Permit the legislature to annul executive branch regulations by passing a resolution | Defeated |
| 1984 | IndISS | Ballot Measure 3 | Repeal statutes that established the Alaska Transportation Commission and its regulatory authority over air carriers and motor freight operators | Approved |
| 1984 | LRCA | Ballot Measure No. 2 | Require the Alaska Legislature to adjourn a regular legislative session no later than 120 consecutive calendar days after the date it convenes | Approved |
| 1984 | BI | Proposition A | Issue $700 million in bonds for the purpose of purchasing home mortgages for qualifying veterans | Approved |
| 1983 | BI | Bonding Proposition A | Issue up to $500,000,000 in bonds for purchasing mortgages for residences for qualifying veterans. | Approved |
| 1982 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Measure 1 | Authorize a constitutional convention | Defeated |
| 1982 | LRCA | Measure 2 | Allow the state to issue general obligation bonds for veterans' housing loans | Approved |
| 1982 | LRCA | Measure 3 | Rename the Commission on Judicial Qualifications to Commission on Judicial Conduct, and changed the membership of the commission | Approved |
| 1982 | LRCA | Measure 4 | Limit annual state appropriations to $2.5 billion, adjusted for inflation and population since 1981 | Approved |
| 1982 | IndISS | Measure 5 | Claim state ownership of all federal land in Alaska except Mount McKinley National Park, national monuments established before 1977, native corporation selections, the Annette Island Reserve, and land controlled by the Department of Defense or the Alaska Power Administration | Approved |
| 1982 | IndISS | Measure 6 | Prohibits state funding of abortions | Defeated |
| 1982 | IndISS | Measure 7 | Prohibit the classification of individuals for fishing, hunting, or trapping for personal consumption and repeal laws related to subsistence hunting and fishing | Defeated |
| 1982 | LRAQ | Measure 8 | Spend $2,843,147,000 to move the state capital from Juneau to Willow | Defeated |
| 1982 | BI | Proposition A | Issue $400 million in bonds for the purpose of purchasing home mortgages for qualifying veterans | Approved |
| 1980 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 1 | Allow the legislature to annul regulations by resolution instead of requiring a bill for annulment. | Defeated |
| 1980 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 2 | Eliminate the prohibition that prevents a legislator, during their term and for one year after, from taking a state office or position of profit whose salary or benefits were increased while they were in office | Defeated |
| 1980 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 3 | Allow interim and special committees to be established by legislative rule without veto or referendum, and grant committees authority to approve or disapprove budget revisions. | Defeated |
| 1980 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 4 | Authorize the legislature to appoint and confirm members of all state boards and commissions, except those at the head of principal departments or regulatory agencies. | Defeated |
| 1980 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 5 | Establish a general stock ownership corporation in Alaska | Defeated |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition A | Issue $7,718,800 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements to fisheries facilities. | Approved |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition B | Issue $33,000,000 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements to water and sewer systems, solid waste facilities, and village safe water facilities. | Approved |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition C | Issue $18,787,500 in general obligation bonds for energy conservation, code upgrades, and architectural barrier removal in state facilities. | Defeated |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition D | Issue $28,350,000 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements in correctional facilities. | Approved |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition E | Issue $20,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the construction of cultural facilities. | Defeated |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition F | Issue $156.99 million in bonds for transportation projects | Approved |
| 1980 | BI | Bonding Proposition G | Issue $63,451,000 in general obligation bonds for education, teacher housing, and University of Alaska facilities improvements. | Approved |
| 1980 | LRSS | Establish Statehood Commission to Study Relationship with United States Measure | Create the Alaska Statehood Commission to examine and recommend possible changes to the state's relationship with the U.S. | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | LRAQ | Ballot Proposition 1 | Provide a 120-day maximum length for regular legislative sessions, extendable in 10-day increments. | Approved |
| 1978 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 2 | Allow the legislature to provide one of its interim committees with authority to share budget revision approval with the Governor and delegate appropriation powers for non-state funds. | Defeated |
| 1978 | IndISS | Ballot Proposition 3 | Require all costs of capital relocation, including personnel and infrastructure, to be determined and approved by voters prior to spending state funds. | Approved |
| 1978 | IndISS | Ballot Proposition 4 | Provide vacant state land for homesteading, with eligibility based on residency and grant up to four grants for ten-year residents. | Approved |
| 1978 | IndISS | Ballot Proposition 5 | Require a 10-cent refund for beer and carbonated beverage containers sold in certain areas of Alaska, excluding remote locations, with marked containers and bans on unsanitary ones. | Defeated |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 10 | Issue up to $966 million in bonds to fund the construction of a new state capital | Defeated |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 1 | Authorize $33,290,000 in bonds for erosion and flood control, port facilities development, and small boat landing and harbor projects. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 2 | Authorize $5,850,000 in bonds for capital improvements to parks, waysides, trails, footpaths, and other recreational facilities. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 3 | Authorize $25 million in bonds for capital improvements for health facilities, senior citizen centers, and pioneers' homes. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 4 | Authorize $33,656,000 in bonds for capital improvements for vocational education and the University of Alaska. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 5 | Authorize $88,450,000 in bonds for transportation and infrastructure projects, including roads, ferry services, and airport construction. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 6 | Authorize $30,504,000 in bonds for improvements to correctional and public safety facilities. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 7 | Authorize $26,965,000 in bonds for fisheries management and development facilities. | Approved |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 8 | Authorize $3,645,000 in bonds for constructing armories and National Guard facilities. | Defeated |
| 1978 | BI | Bonding Proposition 9 | Authorize $27,640,000 in bonds for water supply and sewerage system improvements. | Approved |
| 1976 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 1 | Set procedures and time limits for reconsidering vetoed bills after a regular session ends. | Approved |
| 1976 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 2 | Create a permanent fund from mineral revenue, with income used for income-producing investments and available for state appropriation. | Approved |
| 1976 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 3 | Provide the legislature approval authority over state land disposals, along with veto power and administrative and judicial review. | Defeated |
| 1976 | LRCA | Ballot Proposition 4 | Allow public funds to be used for direct financial aid for students attending private educational institutions | Defeated |
| 1976 | IndISS | Ballot Proposition 5 | Repeal the law that regulates entry into Alaska's commercial fisheries, allowing for the issuance of permits based on conservation, economics, and past participation. | Defeated |
| 1976 | LRAQ | Ballot Proposition 6 | Advise the legislature to place an amendment for a unicameral legislature before voters. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 10 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $31,000,000 for water supply and sewage systems construction. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 1 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $7,100,000 for regional firefighter training centers. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 2 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $59,290,000 for the construction, repair, equipment, and upgrading of school facilities. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 4 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $29,205,000 for capital improvements to fish and game management and development facilities. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 5 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $7.5 million for the construction and development of senior citizen housing. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 6 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $26,960,000 for capital improvements at the University of Alaska. | Defeated |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 7 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $53,360,000 for highway, ferry, roads, trails, and maintenance facilities construction and equipment. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 8 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $6,866,000 for airport construction and facilities. | Approved |
| 1976 | BI | Bonding Proposition 9 | Authorize general obligation bonds of $10,630,000 for constructing and major remodeling of justice facilities. | Defeated |
| 1976 | CRSS | Capital Relocation Site Selection Measure | Select the new location for the state capital. | Approved |
| 1976 | VR | Referendum 1 | Increase compensation for judges, legislators, and commissioners, improve retirement benefits, and alter retirement vesting periods. | Defeated |
| 1974 | LRCA | Amendment 1 | Require that proposed constitutional amendments be submitted to voters at the next general election | Approved |
| 1974 | IndISS | Initiative 1 | Authorize a new state capital city in Western Alaska | Approved |
| 1974 | IndISS | Initiative 2 | Require public officials to disclose their financial interests and business dealings, with penalties for non-compliance. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 10 | Authorize $39,523,000 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements at the University of Alaska. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 1 | Authorize $2,700,000 in general obligation bonds for constructing fire protection facilities. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 2 | Authorize $22,500,000 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements to port facilities. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 3 | Authorize $7,900,000 in general obligation bonds for acquiring, constructing, and equipping library facilities. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 4 | Authorize $10,400,000 in general obligation bonds for constructing trunk and secondary airports. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 5 | Authorize $37,300,000 in general obligation bonds for highway, ferry, and local service road and trail construction. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 6 | Authorize $10,900,000 in general obligation bonds for health care facility improvements. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 7 | Authorize $10,500,000 in general obligation bonds for fish and game management facilities construction. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 8 | Authorize $7.515 million in general obligation bonds for constructing and expanding Pioneers' Homes. | Approved |
| 1974 | BI | Proposition 9 | Authorize $40,337,000 in general obligation bonds for the purpose of rural school construction. | Approved |
| 1973 | BI | Proposition 1 | Authorize up to $11,500,000 in bonds to fund capital improvements for civic, convention, and community recreation centers. | Defeated |
| 1972 | LRCA | Amendment 1 | Require voters to have been residents of Alaska for at least one year in order to vote, and being required to have been living in the particular election district for at least thirty days | Approved |
| 1972 | LRCA | Amendment 4 | Remove the requirement for representation of each city on the borough assembly and allow for assembly members to be elected from and by qualified voters outside certain cities. | Approved |
| 1972 | LRCA | Amendment 5 | Provide that the state may limit entry into fisheries | Approved |
| 1972 | LRCA | Amendment 2 | Prohibit the denial of civil or political rights based on sex | Approved |
| 1972 | LRCA | Ballot Measure 3 | Provide a state constitutional right to privacy | Approved |
| 1972 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Constitutional Convention Question | Call for a constitutional convention | Defeated |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $3.5 million in bonds for the construction of health and medical facilities | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issued $10 million in bonds for the construction of highways | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 3 | Issue $11.5 million in bonds for the construction of civic, convention and community recreation centers | Defeated |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 4 | Issue a $18 million in bonds for the construction of facilities related to the University of Alaska | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 5 | Issue $24 million in bonds for the construction of airports | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 6 | Issue $16 million in bonds for the construction of state operated schools. | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 7 | Issue $20 million in bonds for the flood control projects and small boat harbors | Approved |
| 1972 | BI | Proposition 8 | Issue $33 million in bonds for the construction of sewage systems | Approved |
| 1970 | LRCA | Amendment 1 | Lower the voting age to eighteen for all state and local elections. | Approved |
| 1970 | LRCA | Amendment 2 | Eliminate the requirement for voters to read or speak English in state or local elections. | Approved |
| 1970 | LRCA | Amendment 3 | Change the title of the secretary of state to lieutenant governor, with no change to the powers or duties of the office. | Approved |
| 1970 | LRCA | Amendment 4 | Select the chief justice of the supreme court by a majority vote of the justices, with a term of three years, and non-consecutive terms for the chief justice. | Approved |
| 1970 | LRCA | Amendment 5 | Provide that the administrative director of the judicial system serve the entire supreme court, instead of the chief justice. | Approved |
| 1970 | Automatic constitutional convention question | Constitutional Question | Call a Constitutional Convention for the State of Alaska. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 10 | Authorize $21,000,000 in bonds by the state to finance improvements to the state ferry system. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 11 | Authorize $29,700,000 in bonds by the state to fund improvements to buildings, facilities, and utilities at the University of Alaska and community colleges. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 1 | Authorize $20,300,000 in bonds by the state to acquire, construct, and equip certain public schools within the state. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 2 | Authorize $3,000,000 in bonds by the state to acquire, construct, and equip the Alaska Remote Housing Program. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 3 | Authorize $2,300,000 in bonds by the state to acquire, construct, and equip state recreational facilities. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 4 | Authorize $29,200,000 in bonds by the state to construct and equip highways and roads within the state. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 5 | Authorize $8,600,000 in bonds by the state to construct, equip, and improve correctional facilities for the Department of Health and Welfare. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 6 | Authorize $5,600,000 in bonds by the state to fund the acquisition, construction, and equipping of health and mental health facilities, and provide state matching funds for federal hospital construction programs under Hill-Burton. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 7 | Authorize $11 million in bonds by the state to fund the acquisition, construction, and equipping of water supply and sewerage systems. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 8 | Authorize $5,500,000 in bonds by the state to fund the acquisition, construction, and equipping of highway maintenance facilities. | Approved |
| 1970 | BI | Proposition 9 | Authorize $10,000,000 in bonds by the state for the acquisition, construction, and improvement of certain airports within the state. | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | LRCA | Amendment 1 | Create a judicial qualifications commission to oversee the disqualification, suspension, and removal of judges and to address judicial misconduct. | Approved |
| 1968 | LRCA | Amendment 2 | Allow the legislature to establish compensation for members of the judicial qualifications commission. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $2 million in bonds for the purpose of aquiring, constructing, and equipping a branch of the Alaska Pioneers' Home in the Southcentral area | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issue $11.2 million in bonds for the purpose of acquiring, improving, and constructing highways and facilities. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 3 | Issue $1.2 million in bonds for the purpose of hospital construction and improvements. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 4 | Issue $8.8 million in bonds for the purpose of airport construction and improvements. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 5 | Issue $10 million in bonds for the purpose of elementary and secondary public school construction and improvements. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 6 | Issue $8.5 million in bonds for the purpose of university construction and improvements. | Approved |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 7 | Issue $18 million in bonds for the purpose of construction and improvements to state ferries | Defeated |
| 1968 | BI | Proposition 8 | Issue $3 million in bonds for the purpose of construction and improvement to fish hatcheries | Approved |
| 1968 | VR | Voter Registration Veto Referendum | Uphold or repeal Ch. 211, SLA 1968, which established a system of pre-registration for voters in Alaska | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $900,000 in bonds for outdoor recreation construction | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issue $2.285 million in bonds for school construction | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 3 | Issue $15.5 million in bonds for ferry construction | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 4 | Issue $16.9 million in bonds for university construction | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 5 | Issue $10.5 million in bonds for the construction of highways | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 6 | Issue $2.285 million in bonds for constructing regional high schools | Approved |
| 1966 | BI | Proposition 7 | Issue $11.5 million in bonds for airport construction | Approved |
| 1966 | LRCA | SJR 1 | Specify that an individual must be a resident of the state for one year in order to be eligible to vote, and permit the legislature to shorten the residence requirement for Alaska voters wishing to only vote for President and Vice President | Approved |
| 1964 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $2 million in bonds to construct a Pioneers' Home in Fairbanks | Approved |
| 1964 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issue $5 million in bonds for the construction of health and welfare facilities | Approved |
| 1962 | IndISS | Initiative 1 | Move the Alaska state capital in Juneau to a location in Western Alaska | Defeated |
| 1962 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $5.95 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing buildings for the University of Alaska. | Approved |
| 1962 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issue $5 million in bonds for the purpose of school construction | Approved |
| 1962 | BI | Proposition 3 | Issue $4.175 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing the Trunk Airport | Approved |
| 1962 | BI | Proposition 4 | Issue $2.2 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing vocational schools | Approved |
| 1960 | IndISS | Initiative 1 | Move the Alaska state capital in Juneau to a location in the Cook Inlet-Railbelt area | Defeated |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 1 | Issue $9 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing state office buildings in Anchorage and Fairbanks | Defeated |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 2 | Issue $23 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing and maintaining ferries and roads | Approved |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 3 | Issue $1.5 million in bonds for the purpose of supporting vocational education | Approved |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 4 | Issue $2 million in bonds for the University of Alaska | Approved |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 5 | Issue $2.5 million in bonds for the purpose of constructing and equipping hospitals | Approved |
| 1960 | BI | Proposition 6 | Issue $1.5 million in bonds for Bush Airfields | Approved |
| Year | Type | Title | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | CCRCA | Proposition 1 | Admit Alaska into the United States as a state | Approved |
| 1958 | CCRCA | Proposition 2 | Ratify the boundaries of the State of Alaska that were designed by the United States Congress in the Alaska Statehood Act | Approved |
| 1958 | CCRCA | Proposition 3 | Approve the provisions of the Alaska Statehood Act, including those reserving certain rights or powers to the United States and those prescribing the terms of land grants made to the State of Alaska | Approved |
| 1956 | CCRCA | Proposition 1 | Ratifies the Constitution of Alaska as proposed by the Constitutional Convention of 1955-56 | Approved |
| 1956 | CCRCA | Proposition 2 | Elect and send two senators and one representative to Washington D.C. regardless of federal statehood approval | Approved |
| 1956 | CCRCA | Proposition 3 | Prohibit fish traps for commercial salmon fishing in Alaska coastal waters | Approved |
Analysis
Ballotpedia completed an inventory of Alaska ballot measures from 1956 to 2024. Alaskans have decided on 220 ballot measures placed on the ballot by successful citizen initiatives and the Alaska State Legislature. The types of measures decided included bond issues, indirect initiated state statutes, veto referendums, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, constitutional convention questions, constitutional convention referrals and legislatively referred state statutes. One hundred fifty-eight (158) measures were approved, and sixty-two (62) measures were defeated.
The inventory of Alaska statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
Contents
Notable topics
- On April 24, 1958, voters approved the Tennessee Plan, which required the election of congressional representatives regardless of federal statehood approval. Voters also ratified a state constitution at this election.
- Congress passed statehood legislation requiring voter approval of three questions, which President Dwight Eisenhower (R) signed on July 7, 1958. On August 26, 1958, voters approved the three questions: Proposition 1, which asked whether Alaska should be admitted as a state; Proposition 2, which sought approval for the state's boundaries; and Proposition 3, which approved the Alaska Statehood Act. Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959.
- Alaskans decided 12 ballot measures related to fishing or hunting regulations. Examples include:
- Proposition 3 (1956), which was approved before statehood to prohibit the use of fish traps for commercial salmon fishing in coastal waters.
- Amendment 5 (1972), which provided that the state may limit entry into fisheries for purposes of "resource conservation, to prevent economic distress among fishermen and those dependent upon them for a livelihood and to promote the efficient development of aquaculture." Voters approved Amendment 5.
- Ballot Measure 7 (1982), which would have prohibited the state from classifying persons based on race, sex, economic status, land ownership, past use, dependence on resources, or other specified criteria in matters related to hunting, fishing, and trapping. Voters rejected Ballot Measure 7.
- Ballot Measure 1 (2018), which would have established new permitting requirements for projects affecting bodies of water that are habitat for anadromous fish like salmon and steelhead trout. Voters rejected Ballot Measure 1.
- Ballot Measure 3 (1996), Ballot Measure 6 (2000), Ballot Measure 2 (2008) addressed airborne or land-and-shoot hunting for wolves or bears.
- Proposition 9 (1998), which voters rejected, would have prohibited snare trapping of wolves, and Ballot Measure 3 (2004), which voters also rejected, would have prohibited baiting bears for hunting or viewing.
- Ballot Measure 1 (2000) would have prohibited ballot initiatives from addressing laws that permit, regulate, or restrict the taking or transporting of wildlife, or establish seasons or methods for taking wildlife.
- Alaskans voted on nine ballot measures related to the state capital. Votes approved moving the state capital in 1974 and 1976, but a funding measure later failed, and the capital remained in Juneau.
- In 1960 and 1962, voters rejected ballot initiatives to move the capital out of Juneau.
- However, in 1974, voters approved a ballot initiative authorizing a new capital in Western Alaska. In 1976, voters decided on a follow-up question and selected Willow, Alaska, located in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, for a new state capital.
- With a new state capital site selected—Willow—voters decided on a bond measure to fund the project in 1978. Voters rejected the proposal.
- In 1982, voters rejected a non-binding question on spending $2.8 billion to move the state capital from Juneau to Willow.
- In 1978 and 1994, voters approved ballot initiatives to require voter approval of capital relocation costs before such a move could occur.
- Ballot Measure 3 (1994), which was rejected, asked voters to move the state capital to Wasilla.
- In 1972, voters approved Ballot Measure 2, which prohibited the denial of a person's rights based on sex, and Ballot Measure 3, which established a state constitutional right to privacy. In 1997, the Alaska Supreme Court held in Valley Hospital Association v. Mat-Su Coalition for Choice that "reproductive rights are fundamental, and that they are encompassed within the right to privacy [Ballot Measure 3]."
- In 1976, voters approved Proposition 2, which created the Alaska Permanent Fund. The constitutional amendment required that 25% of the state's mineral revenues, including oil lease rentals, royalties, federal mineral revenue-sharing payments, and bonuses, be deposited into the fund. The fund’s principal would be invested to generate income, while the earnings would be deposited into the state’s general fund. In 1980, the state enacted a law to create the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD).
- In 1980, voters approved the Establish Statehood Commission Measure. The ballot measure created the 11-member Alaska Statehood Commission to examine and recommend possible changes to the state's relationship with the United States.
- Alaskans approved several other ballot measures related to the state's relationship with the federal government, including Ballot Measure 5 (1982), which claimed state ownership of federal land in Alaska, with exceptions; Ballot Measure 1 (1988), which provided that the state can give preference to state residents over non-residents; and Ballot Measure 1 (1996), which required that any changes to the Alaska Statehood Act proposed by Congress be approved either by a majority vote of Alaskan voters or by a two-thirds vote of the state legislature.
- Voters rejected ballot measures to authorize the Alaska State Legislature to annul executive or administrative regulations in 1980, 1984, and 1986.
- In 1998, Alaska became the first state to approve a constitutional amendment, Ballot Measure 2, defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In 2014, the U.S. District Court for Alaska ruled that Ballot Measure 2 violated the U.S. Constitution. As of 2025, Ballot Measure 2 remained a provision of the Alaska Constitution.
- Also in 1998, voters approved Ballot Measure 5, which prohibited billboards in Alaska, repealed a law that allowed certain directional tourism signs visible from highways, and restored misdemeanor penalties for violations of outdoor advertising laws.
- Voters decided on five marijuana-related ballot measures. Before 1990, possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized due to a court ruling regarding Ballot Measure 3. In 1990, voters approved Ballot Measure 2, which criminalized marijuana possession. In 2000, Ballot Measure 5 asked voters to decriminalize marijuana possession, but the proposal was defeated. Voters also rejected Ballot Measure 2, which would have legalized marijuana, in 2004. In 2014, Alaskans approved Ballot Measure 2, which legalized marijuana under state law. Voters also approved a ballot initiative for medical marijuana in 1998.
- In 2020, voters approved Ballot Measure 2, which established a system of top-four ranked-choice voting. In 2024, voters rejected a ballot initiative, also titled Ballot Measure 2, to repeal the system. The margin for the repeal measure was 0.23%, the closest in state history.
Statistics
Closest and widest margins
Of the 220 ballot measures, five were decided by less than a percentage point of the vote. These five closest measures are below:
| Closest vote margins for Alaska statewide ballot measures, 1956-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
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The following five measures had the widest vote margins by percentage:
| Widest vote margins for Alaska statewide ballot measures, 1956-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
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Alaska ballot measure topics
Alaska ballot measures have addressed 100 unique topics with some addressing multiple topics in one measure. The top 10 most common topics addressed are:
- Bond issues (94 measures)
- Higher education funding (14 measures)
- Public education funding (14 measures)
- Highways and bridges (12 measures)
- Ports and harbors (12 measures)
- Airport infrastructure (11 measures)
- State capitals (9 measures)
- Healthcare facility funding (9 measures)
- Fisheries and fishing regulations (9 measures)
- Housing assistance programs (8 measures)
By the decade
The average number of measures per decade was 28, and the average number of measures approved per decade was 67%. The decade with the most ballot measures was the 1970s, which featured 77 ballot measures. Sixty-four measures (83.1%) were approved, and 13 (16.9%) were defeated. The decade that had the highest approval rate was the 1950s, which featured six measures—all (100%) were approved. The decade with the lowest approval rating was the 2020s. In the 2020s, there have been five ballot measures—two (40%) were approved and three (60%) were defeated.
By type
- See also: Types of ballot measures in Alaska
There are 10 different types of ballot measures in Alaska. Legislatively referred bond measures have appeared on the ballot the most number of times (94). Some types of ballot measures had a 100% approval rating, including constitutional convention referrals, commission-referred ballot measures, and legislatively referred state statutes. Constitutional convention questions had the lowest success rate, with one measure (14.3%) approved and six (85.7%) defeated.
Legislatively referred measures have had better success at the ballot box than citizen-initiated measures. Legislatively referred measures were approved 82% of the time, as compared to 52% for ballot initiatives.
Background
Citizen-initiated ballot measures
In Alaska, citizens have the power to initiate state statutes and veto referendums. In 1956, the initiative and referendum process was adopted when voters approved the state constitution. This state constitution went into effect when Alaska became a state in 1959.
The number of signatures required to qualify initiated state statutes or veto referendums for the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast in the last general election.
The following are the requirements for the types of citizen-initiated measures in Alaska:
- initiated state statute (ISS): 10 percent of the votes cast
- veto referendum (VR): 10 percent of the votes cast
Legislatively referred ballot measures
In Alaska, the state legislature has the power to refer constitutional amendments, bond measures, and advisory questions to the ballot.
Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote during one legislative session to be referred to the ballot. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. A simple majority vote is required in each chamber of the legislature for bond measures or advisory questions to be placed on the ballot. For bond measures, the governor's signature is required to be referred to the ballot.
