Alaska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022 (August 16 top-four primary)

Elections in Alaska, 2022

• Primary date: Aug. 16
• Mail-in registration deadline: July 17
• Online reg. deadline: July 17
• In-person reg. deadline: July 17

• Early voting starts: Aug. 1
• Early voting ends: Aug. 15
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Absentee/mail-in deadline: Aug. 16

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2026 → ← 2018
Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
Top-four primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2022
Primary: August 16, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent(s): Gov. Mike Dunleavy (Republican) Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Alaska
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Republican Inside Elections: Likely Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2022 Impact of term limits in 2022 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022
Alaska executive elections
Governor Lieutenant Governor

Eleven candidates ran in a top-four primary for governor of Alaska on August 16, 2022. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) ran for re-election. The four candidates to advance from the primary were: Dunleavy with 40.7% of the vote, Bill Walker (Independent) with 22.7%, Les Gara (D) with 22.7%, and Charlie Pierce (R) with 6.7%.

This was the first use of the top-four primary system for governor of Alaska after voters approved its use in November 2020. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run in a single primary election. The four candidates to receive the most votes advanced to the general election. The four-candidate general election used ranked-choice voting. To learn more about the election system, click here.

The 11 candidates included six Republicans, one Democrat, one Libertarian, and three independents. Among them were the following candidates with noteworthy endorsements:

• Dunleavy, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump (R);
• Les Gara (D), who was endorsed by Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates;
• Charlie Pierce (R), who was co-endorsed along with Dunleavy by the Republican Party of Alaska;
• and former Gov. Bill Walker (I), who was endorsed by the Alaska AFL-CIO.

Also running in the primary were Jim Cottrell (R), David Haeg (R), John Howe (Alaskan Independence), Christopher Kurka (R), William Nemec II (I), William Toien (L), and Bruce Walden (R).

FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver predicted that multiple Republicans would advance to the general election. He wrote: "In Alaska’s House, Senate and gubernatorial races, it’s fairly likely that we’ll end up with one Democratic candidate but two or three Republican candidates following the Aug. 16 primaries. If the Republican vote is divided two or three ways, it may well be that the Democrat initially receives the plurality of the vote. However, this lead is unlikely to survive the instant-runoff process assuming voters for one Republican rank the other Republicans ahead of any Democrat."

Three race forecasting outlets rated the general election as Likely or Solid Republican. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) received 52.8% of the vote in Alaska, while Joe Biden (D) received 42.8%.

According to the Associated Press, no Alaska governor has been re-elected since Tony Knowles (D) in 1998. Sean Parnell (R), who became governor in 2009 following the resignation of Sarah Palin (R), won a full term in 2010 but lost his re-election bid in 2014.

In Alaska, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run together on a joint ticket. Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer (R) did not run for re-election.

Les Gara (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

This page focuses on Alaska's top-four gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Alaska's gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial general election, see the following page:

• Alaska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

Candidates and election results

Governor

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of Alaska

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Dunleavy (R)	40.4	76,534
✔		Les Gara (D)	23.1	43,660
✔		Bill Walker (Independent)	22.8	43,111
✔		Charlie Pierce (R)	6.6	12,458
		Christopher Kurka (R)	3.9	7,307
		John Howe (Alaskan Independence Party)	0.9	1,702
		Bruce Walden (R)	0.9	1,661
		William Toien (L)	0.7	1,381
		David Haeg (R)	0.6	1,139
	Submit photo	William Nemec II (Independent)	0.2	347

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 189,300
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jim Cottrell (R)

Lieutenant governor

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of Alaska

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Dahlstrom (R)	40.4	76,534
✔		Jessica Cook (D)	23.1	43,660
✔		Heidi Drygas (Independent)	22.8	43,111
✔		Edie Grunwald (R)	6.6	12,458
	Submit photo	Paul Hueper (R)	3.9	7,307
	Submit photo	Shellie Wyatt (Alaskan Independence Party)	0.9	1,702
	Submit photo	Tanya Lange (R)	0.9	1,661
	Submit photo	Shirley Rainbolt (L)	0.7	1,381
	Submit photo	S. Waynette Coleman (R)	0.6	1,139
	Submit photo	Ronnie Ostrem (Independent)	0.2	347

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 189,300
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Brittany Cottrell (Independent)

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Mike Dunleavy

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• Governor of Alaska (Assumed office: 2018)
• Alaska State Senate (2013-2018)
• Mat-Su Borough School Board (2009-2012)

Biography:  Dunleavy received a B.A. in history from Misericordia University and an M.A. in education from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He worked as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Dunleavy also owned an educational consulting firm.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Dunleavy's campaign website said he "continues to battle those who believe the PFD [Permanent Fund dividend] should be used to fuel government in violation of Alaska’s laws." Dunleavy's campaign said Alaskans received the largest PFD in history in 2022.

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A Dunleavy ad said crime dropped in the state after Dunleavy "fought to repeal Bill Walker's disastrous catch-and-release bill, SB 91."

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Dunleavy said when announcing his re-election bid, "I think I’ve demonstrated some pretty positive leadership when Alaska has been dealt one of the toughest blows in its history with this virus and the economic fallout."

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Show sources

Sources: Mike Dunleavy's 2022 campaign website, "Home," accessed September 2, 2022; Facebook, "PSEA Endorsement," August 5, 2022; Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy will run for re-election in 2022," updated August 14, 2021; Facebook, "Mike Dunleavy on September 24, 2022," accessed October 10, 2022; Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy, "Meet Mike Dunleavy," accessed May 12, 2021; Alaska's News Source, "Governor - Mike Dunleavy," October 3, 2018

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Alaska in 2022.

Les Gara

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Alaska House of Representatives, District 20 (2003-2018)

Submitted Biography:  "When I was 6 my father was killed by an office intruder. I grew up in foster care, and learned regardless of a person's form of struggle, everyone deserves good schools, a living wage, equal opportunity and a good job. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed, whether or not they are born with privilege or wealth. I served in the Legislature from 2003-2018, served as an Asst. Attorney General on the Exxon Valdez Civil Prosecution following the catastrophic Exxon Valdez oil spill, and have been married to my wife Kelly since 1990."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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All people have a right to opportunity and a better future.

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People deserve real opportunities for a good-paying job, and at least a living wage.

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People deserve good schools, and safe neighborhoods regardless of where they live.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Alaska in 2022.

Charlie Pierce

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Mayor of Kenai Peninsula Borough (2017-2022)
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly (2006-2012)

Biography:  Pierce attended Anchorage Community College, the University of Alaska Anchorage, and Alaska Pacific University. He worked as a divisions operations manager with ENSTAR Natural Gas Company for 26 years.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Pierce said, "When elected I will work with all legislators and the Attorney General to restore the statutory PFD formula, while at the same time structuring state government...to be more responsive and less cumbersome." 

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A Pierce campaign ad said, "You say the current administration got you down? You say being last in education and first in crime is depressing? ... A Pierce administration will get results. Better education for our children, lower crime rates, and a great Alaska business climate are just the beginning." 

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Pierce said his administration would put Alaskans first regardless of their party affiliation and that his campaign motto was "Results not Rhetoric." 

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Show sources

Sources: DocumentCloud, "Charlie Pierce for Governor Press Release," accessed September 2, 2022; Facebook, "Our Alaskan Philosopher talks about Charlie Pierce," July 14, 2022; Charlie Pierce's 2022 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 2, 2022; Peninsula Clarion, "Pierce hits the ground running as mayor," December 27, 2017; Charlie Pierce's 2022 campaign website, "About," accessed September 2, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Alaska in 2022.

Bill Walker

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Governor of Alaska (2014-2018)
• Mayor of Valdez (1979-1980)
• Valdez City Council (1977-1979)

Biography:  Walker received a bachelor's in business administration from Lewis and Clark College and a J.D. from the University of Puget Sound. Walker worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and co-founded a law firm with his wife specializing in municipal, oil, and gas law.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Walker said his record as governor included reducing "the state’s dependence on dwindling oil tax revenue from 90% to 30%, significantly reducing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit" and expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act via executive action. 

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Walker said he was running to restore trust. Walker said Dunleavy promised to deliver larger PFDs than were possible and harmed state universities with budget cuts.

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Walker said he and running mate Heidi Drygas were running to represent all Alaskans "whether we are their first choice or not. ... As a unity ticket that is setting aside our respective partisan roots, we are the only team with the ability to win support from voters who want common sense solutions and leadership."

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Show sources

Sources: Bill Walker's 2022 campaign website, "About Bill Walker," accessed September 1, 2022; Alaska Public Media, "CANDIDATE Q&A: Governor — Bill Walker," August 10, 2022; Bill Walker's 2022 campaign website, "Walker Drygas earns a spot in the final four, advances to general election ballot," accessed September 2, 2022; Anchorage Daily News, "OPINION: Alaska needs a governor with integrity," updated October 7, 2022; Facebook, "Walker Drygas - Videos," accessed September 2, 2022; Bill Walker's 2022 campaign website, "About Bill Walker," accessed September 1, 2022; National Governors Association, "Alaska Gov. Bill Walker," accessed September 1, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Alaska in 2022.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Les Gara (D)

All people have a right to opportunity and a better future.

People deserve real opportunities for a good-paying job, and at least a living wage.

People deserve good schools, and safe neighborhoods regardless of where they live.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Les Gara (D)

My core values say people have a right to opportunity, good schools, and the fair chance at a good-paying job. Good schools, good job training, and a good University are needed to give people a fair chance to succeed in life. Children deserve schools that let them reach their potential, and elders deserve to be treated with dignity. People deserve opportunity and dignity regardless of whether their wealth.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Les Gara (D)

Martin Luther King, Jr. I'll never truly be able to follow his example, but he saw injustice, and acted. He saw unfairness that he could solve, and acted. He saw lives he could improve and acted. I'm inspired by his life of service, believe in leading a life of service to others, but can't ever match what he did in life.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Les Gara (D)

Good leaders should always look for ways to improve the lives of others, improve opportunity and success in life, and improve the state so we have an economy that creates more success for more people.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Les Gara (D)

I believe in working hard to achieve results, and in moving forward to clear obstacles instead of giving up in the face of them. As someone who grew up in faster care, I treat people with the understanding that I don't know what hardships they've faced, and that all deserve the right to be treated with respect, regardless of whether they are wealthy or powerful.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Les Gara (D)

Among them was losing my father to a killer who broke into his office when I was six.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Les Gara (D)

I began delivering papers at roughly age 12, and worked my way through middle school, high school, college and law school.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Les Gara (D)

Grapes of Wrath. It reminds us that people are always trying to clear their own hurdles, and that we have a duty to provide equal, real opportunities to all.

A governor is the top executive authority in his or her state. What does that mean do you?

Les Gara (D)

A Governor should lead in a way that improves people's lives. That means listening, and working hard to find ways to improve things for people.

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

Les Gara (D)

A good Governor takes on the responsibility of improving lives and opportunity for all, regardless of whether someone is wealthy or not. In a diverse state, a Governor has a duty to strive for liberty and justice for all, and to make sure people have equqal rights.

Different states require governors to have different degrees of responsibility for the state budgeting process. If it were your choice, what do you believe is the appropriate degree of gubernatorial involvement with this process in your state?

Les Gara (D)

In Alaska the Governor introduces the budget. I believe in smart budgeting, making sure a budget reflects our values, and that it provides for opportunity, success and a strong economy.

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

Les Gara (D)

I would use my on wasteful spending, but not on things that improve lives, opportunity and dignity. I would veto divisive, political language from a budget when it serves that serves no positive purpose.

If the governor's office in your state does not have the line-item veto power, do you believe it should? Why or why not?

Les Gara (D)

N/A

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Les Gara (D)

A good governor works across party lines, should look for ways to build positive relationships with legislators, all with the goal of moving the sate forward.

What do you love most about your state?

Les Gara (D)

I believe Alaska is a state of great diversity, great potential, and one where people care about looking out for each other.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Les Gara (D)

Alaska has lost thousands of jobs, let the fibers keep our communities together fray, and needlessly, let school support fall $120 million behind inflation, damaging opportunity and hope. We need a fair share for our oil so we have revenue to afford to move this state forward again. We need to restore construction and infrastructure jobs, education jobs, and those wages then help private businesses as they are spent in our communities.

Under what circumstances should the governor of your state be able to use emergency powers?

Les Gara (D)

Most recently they should have been used to protect overcrowded hospitals that could not take in patients who, in some cases, died. This Governor failed to use those powers in a timely basis to protect people during the Fall, 2021 COVID surge.

News and conflicts in this primary

This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 gubernatorial primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.

• Heart of the Primaries 2022, Democrats-Issue 37 (September 1, 2022)
• Heart of the Primaries 2022, Republicans-Issue 30 (July 7, 2022)

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

• Charlie Pierce
• Bill Walker

Top-four primary endorsements
Endorser	Mike Dunleavy	Les Gara	Charlie Pierce	Bill Walker
Government officials
State Sen. Lora Reinbold (R)  source			✔
State Rep. Andrew Josephson (D)  source				✔
State Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D)  source				✔
State Rep. Adam Wool (D)  source				✔
Individuals
Frmr. state Sen. Catherine Giessel  source				✔
Frmr. President Donald Trump  source	✔
Organizations
Alaska AFL-CIO  source				✔
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates  source		✔
Republican Party of Alaska  source 1 source 2	✔		✔

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals. The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times." For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Alaska gubernatorial election, 2022
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 8, 2022	November 1, 2022	October 25, 2022	October 18, 2022
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Election spending

Campaign finance

Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Click here to access those reports.

Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

Satellite groups in this election submitted independent expenditure reports to the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Click here to access those reports.

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
• Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
• State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
• Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

Presidential elections

See also: Presidential voting trends in Alaska and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Alaska, 2022
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
Alaska's At-Large	Vacant	Republican	R+8

2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Alaska
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Alaska's At-Large	43.0%	53.1%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Ballotpedia could not produce this analysis for Alaska, which does not have counties but rather 19 boroughs and one unorganized borough. Presidential election results are not recorded by borough, but rather using 40 election districts throughout the state. Overall, Alaska was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020.

Historical voting trends

Alaska presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 1 Democratic win
• 15 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Statewide elections

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Alaska

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Alaska.

U.S. Senate election results in Alaska
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	53.9%	41.2% (Independent)
2016	44.5%	29.2%
2014	48.0%	45.8%
2010	39.5%	35.5%
2008	47.8%	46.6%
Average	46.7	39.7

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Alaska

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Alaska.

Gubernatorial election results in Alaska
Race	Winner	Runner up
2018	51.4%	44.4%
2014	48.1% (Independent)	45.9%
2010	59.1%	37.7%
2006	48.3%	41.0%
2002	55.9%	40.7%
Average	52.6	41.9

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Alaska's congressional delegation as of November 2022.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Alaska, November 2022
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 executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Alaska's top three state executive offices as of November 2022.

State executive officials in Alaska, November 2022
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Mike Dunleavy
Lieutenant Governor	Kevin Meyer
Attorney General	Treg Taylor

State legislature

The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Alaska State Legislature as of November 2022.

Alaska State Senate

Party		As of November 2022
	Democratic Party	7
	Republican Party	13
	Vacancies	0
Total		20

Alaska House of Representatives

Party		As of November 2022
	Democratic Party	15
	Republican Party	21
	Independent	3
	Nonpartisan	1
	Vacancies	0
Total		40

Trifecta control

As of November 2022, Alaska was a divided government, with Republicans controlling the state senate and governorship and a split house. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.

Alaska Party Control: 1992-2022
No Democratic trifectas  •  Six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
Governor	I	I	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	I	I	I	I	R	R	R	R
Senate	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	S	S	S	S

Demographics

The table below details demographic data in Alaska and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.

Demographic Data for Alaska
	Alaska	United States
Population	733,391	331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)	571,019	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	63.4%	70.4%
Black/African American	3.2%	12.6%
Asian	6.4%	5.6%
Native American	14.6%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	1.4%	0.2%
Other (single race)	1.7%	5.1%
Multiple	9.3%	5.2%
Hispanic/Latino	7.2%	18.2%
Education
High school graduation rate	93.1%	88.5%
College graduation rate	30%	32.9%
Income
Median household income	$77,790	$64,994
Persons below poverty level	10.3%	12.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Alaska's top-four primary/ranked-choice voting general election system

See also: Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting and Campaign Finance Laws Initiative (2020)

In 2020, voters in Alaska passed Ballot Measure 2 in a 50.55%-49.45% vote. The measure established open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices and ranked-choice voting for general elections, including presidential elections. As a result, the 2022 special and regular U.S. House elections were conducted as follows.

In each race, all primary candidates ran in a single primary election, regardless of the candidate's party affiliation. The four candidates that received the most votes advanced to the general election. As of 2022, California and Washington used a top-two system for primaries.

At the general election, voters used ranked-choice voting. They could rank the four candidates that advanced from their top-four primaries. A candidate needed a simple majority of the vote (50%+1) to be declared the winner of an election. Under this system, if no candidate wins a simple majority of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice have their votes redistributed to their second choice. The tabulation process continues until there are two candidates remaining, and the candidate with the greatest number of votes wins.

Ranked-choice voting in the U.S.

History of RCV in the states

As of 2022, voters had decided on four ranked-choice voting ballot measures in three states—Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Maine (2016, 2018)

In 2016, Maine became the first state to pass an RCV ballot measure, Maine Question 5, which established the voting system for congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative primary and general elections.

Legislators passed a bill to repeal Question 5, but the initiative's backers brought the legislation to a public vote through the veto referendum process in 2018. Voters approved Question 1, upholding RCV in Maine.

The Maine State Legislature expanded RCV to presidential elections in 2020. Opponents petitioned a referendum to repeal the legislation but fell about 1,000 signatures short of the requirement.

Massachusetts (2020)

Voters in Massachusetts defeated an RCV ballot initiative in 2020 with 54.8% of the vote. Like Maine Question 5, Massachusetts Question 2 would have established RCV for primary and general elections.

Alaska (2020)

Alaska Measure 2 passed with 50.6% of the vote. Measure 2 was different than Maine's or Massachusetts' RCV initiatives in that primary elections would not use RCV. Instead, Measure 2 replaced partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices. Under Measure 2, voters then use RCV to rank the four candidates at the general election.

State and local use

As of September 2025, ranked-choice voting is used in some states and localities across the United States. See the map, tables, and list below for further details. The numbers below do not include states where RCV is used by a political party for partisan primaries, or where military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots for runoff elections. For more information on these uses of RCV, see the table beneath the map below.

If you know of any additional U.S. localities using RCV that should be included here, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

• RCV used statewide: Three states use RCV statewide. Alaska and Maine use RCV in some federal and statewide elections, while Hawaii uses it for certain statewide elections.
• RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities: Fourteen states contain localities that either use or are scheduled to begin using RCV in municipal elections.
• RCV prohibited: Seventeen states have adopted law prohibiting the use of RCV in any elections.
• No laws addressing RCV, not in use: Twenty-two states have no laws addressing RCV, and neither the state nor any localities in the state use it.

The map below shows which states use ranked-choice voting statewide or in some localities as of September 2025. It also shows the states where RCV is either prohibited or not addressed in the law. It does not show states where RCV is used by a political party for partisan primaries, or where military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots for runoff elections. See the table beneath the map for details on these uses of RCV.

The table below summarizes the use of ranked-choice voting in the U.S. by state as of September 2025.

Ranked-choice voting usage in U.S. states and localities

State	RCV use	Details	State law
Alabama	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2024	Alabama Code § 11-46-10, Alabama Code § 17-1-6
Alaska	RCV used statewide	RCV has been authorized for federal and certain statewide elections since 2020 and used since 2022. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state.	Alaska Statutes § 15-15-350
Arizona	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Arkansas	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025	Arkansas Code § 7-1-116
California	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following seven localities: Albany, Berkeley, Eureka, Oakland, Palm Desert, San Francisco, and San Leandro. RCV is also authorized in the following two localities: Ojai (scheduled for use in 2024) and Redondo Beach (scheduled for use in 2025). Cal. Government Code § 24206 also permits Santa Clara County to use RCV	California Government Code § 24206
Colorado	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following four localities: Basalt, Boulder, Broomfield, and Carbondale. RCV is also authorized in the following locality: Fort Collins (scheduled for use in 2025) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-7-118 permits certain municipalities to use RCV for local elections.	Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-7-118.
Connecticut	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Delaware	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following locality: Arden
Florida	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2022, blocking its adoption in the following locality: Sarasota	Florida Statutes § 101.019
Georgia	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections	Military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots when voting in runoff elections.
Hawaii	RCV used statewide	RCV has been authorized statewide for certain federal and local elections since 2022 and used since 2023. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state.	Hawaii Revised Statutes § 11-100
Idaho	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2023	Idaho Statutes § 34-903B
Illinois	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is authorized in the following localities: Evanston (scheduled for use in 2025), Skokie (scheduled for use in 2026), Springfield (only used by overseas absentee voters in local elections)
Indiana	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Iowa	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025	Iowa Code § 49.93
Kansas	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state
Kentucky	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2024	Kentucky Revised Statutes § 117.147
Louisiana	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2024	Louisiana Revised Statutes § 18:404
Maine	RCV used statewide	RCV has been authorized for federal and statewide elections since 2016 and used since 2018. Maine has also authorized RCV for all municipal election and it is currently used for these elections in the following localities: Portland, and Westbrook	30-A Maine Revised Statutes § 2528, sub-§ 10
Maryland	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following locality: Tacoma Park
Massachusetts	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following two localities: Cambridge and Easthampton. Cambridge holds the record for the longest continuous use of RCV in the U.S. (1941-present). RCV is also authorized in the following locality: Amherst (schedule for use is uncertain)
Michigan	No laws addressing RCV, not in use	RCV has been approved, but is not used, in the following localities: Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Kalamazoo, East Lansing, and Royal Oak. Although Michigan does not explicitly prohibit the use of RCV, state election laws prevent the implementation of RCV.
Minnesota	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following five localities: Bloomington, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, and St. Paul. RCV was also used in the following locality, but it is no longer in use: Hopkins
Mississippi	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2024	Mississippi Code § 23-15-893
Missouri	RCV prohibited	Missouri voters approved Amendment 7 on November 5, 2024. The constitutional amendment prohibited ranked-choice voting, among other changes to the state's election laws	Article VIII, § 3 of the Missouri Constitution
Montana	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2023	Montana Code Annotated § 13-1-125
Nebraska	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Nevada	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections	RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state
New Hampshire	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
New Jersey	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
New Mexico	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following two localities: Las Cruces and Santa Fe	New Mexico Annotated Statutes § 1-22-16
New York	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following locality: New York City
North Carolina	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
North Dakota	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025	North Dakota Century Code § 16.1-01
Ohio	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Oklahoma	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2024	Oklahoma Statutes § 26-1-112
Oregon	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following locality: Benton County and Corvallis. RCV is also authorized in the following two localities: Multnomah County (scheduled for use in 2026) and Portland (scheduled for use in 2024)
Pennsylvania	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Rhode Island	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
South Carolina	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections	Military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots when voting in runoff elections
South Dakota	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2023	South Dakota Codified Laws § 12-1-9.1.
Tennessee	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2022, blocking its adoption in the following locality: Memphis	Tennessee Code § 2-8-117
Texas	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Utah	RCV is used in the following 12 localities as of 2025: Genola, Heber, Kearns, Lehi, Magna, Midvale, Millcreek, Payson, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Vineyard, and Woodland Hills. The state adopted a pilot program allowing RCV in 2018. The program expires after the 2025 election.		Utah Code § 20A-4-603
Vermont	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is used in the following locality: Burlington
Virginia	RCV authorized by state law, but not in use	All localities in Virginia have been authorized to use RCV since 2021. RCV is used for a partisan primary in the following locality: Arlington	Code of Virginia § 24.2-673.1
Washington	RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities	RCV is authorized in the following locality: Seattle (scheduled for use in 2027)
West Virginia	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025	West Virginia Code § 3-1-52.
Wisconsin	No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections
Wyoming	RCV prohibited	RCV was banned by legislation in 2025	Wyoming Code § 22-2-117

2022 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:

• Chesa Boudin recall, San Francisco, California (2021-2022)
• Massachusetts Secretary of State election, 2022 (September 6 Democratic primary)
• Michigan Attorney General election, 2022
• Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022 (May 10 Democratic primary)
• Texas' 37th Congressional District election, 2022 (March 1 Democratic primary)

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Governor of Alaska official website
• Lieutenant Governor of Alaska official website

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