How to run for office in Alaska

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

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

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

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

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

See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2024

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2024 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2024

U.S. Senate

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

U.S. House

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

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

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

Show more

2022

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2022 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2022

U.S. Senate

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

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

U.S. House

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

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

Governor

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

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

2020

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2020 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2020

U.S. Senate

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

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

U.S. House

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

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

State House

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

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

State Senate

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

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

2018

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2018 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2018

See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.

June 1, 2018

2016

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2016 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2016

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

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

2015

To view historical information for 2015, click [show] to expand the section.
See also: Alaska elections, 2015; Anchorage, Alaska municipal elections, 2015; and Alaska school board elections, 2015 In Alaska, only municipal and school board elections were scheduled to occur in 2015. A calendar listing important dates for the 2015 municipal elections can be accessed here.

2014

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2014 U.S. Congress elections and Alaska elections, 2014

To view historical information for 2014, click [show] to expand the section.

See also: Alaska elections, 2014 Alaska held a primary election on August 19, 2014 and a general election on November 4, 2014. Voters elected candidates to serve in the following state and federal offices: Governor of Alaska Lieutenant Governor of Alaska 1 seat in the United States Senate 1 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives 10 seats in the Alaska State Senate 40 seats in the Alaska House of Representatives The 2014 filing deadline for political party candidates and independent candidates was June 2, 2014. Independent candidates then had to submit petitions by August 19, 2014. The filing deadline for write-in candidates was October 30, 2014. In order to create a new political party in time for the 2014 elections, a group must have met the requirements and filed all paperwork by May 31, 2014. Legend:      Ballot access     Campaign finance     Election date Dates and requirements for candidates in 2014 Deadline Event type Event description May 31, 2014 Ballot access Filing deadline for political groups to submit paperwork to achieve political party status June 2, 2014 Ballot access Filing deadline for partisan and independent candidates to submit a declaration of candidacy June 2, 2014 Campaign finance Filing deadline for partisan and independent candidates to submit financial disclosure form** July 21, 2014 Campaign finance 30 Day primary report due for candidates in the primary** August 12, 2014 Campaign finance 7 Day primary report due for candidates in the primary** August 19, 2014 Election date Primary date August 19, 2014 Ballot access Filing deadline for independent candidates to submit a petition with the required signatures October 6, 2014 Campaign finance 30 Day general report due (for period ending October 3)** October 28, 2014 Campaign finance 7 Day general report due (for period ending October 25)** October 30, 2014 Ballot access Filing deadline for write-in candidates participating in the general election November 4, 2014 Election date General election February 15, 2015 Campaign finance Annual report due (for period ending December 31, 2014)** **For more information, see "Campaign finance" below.

Process to become a candidate

See statutes: Title 15.25 of the Alaska Election Law

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

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

Write-in candidates

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

Petition requirements

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

Alaska is the only state without a petition process for state and local candidates, as well as those running for most federal offices. The exception is independent candidates filing to run for U.S. President, who must collect and submit signatures from a minimum of one percent of voters who cast ballots in the last presidential election.

Election administration agencies

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Alaska can contact the following state, and federal agencies.

Alaska Division of Elections

Physical Address: Court Plaza Building

240 Main Street, 4th Floor

Juneau, AK 99801

Mailing Address: PO Box 110017

Juneau, AK 99811-0017

Phone: 907-465-4611

Toll free: 866-952-8683

Website: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website: https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

State executives

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

State executive term limits in Alaska are as follows:

• The governor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• The lieutenant governor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

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

Congressional partisanship

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

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

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

State legislative partisanship

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

Alaska State Senate

Party		As of September 2025
	Democratic Party	9
	Republican Party	11
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		20

Alaska House of Representatives

Party		As of September 2025
	Democratic Party	14
	Republican Party	21
	Nonpartisan	4
	Undeclared	1
	Vacancies	0
Total		40

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Alaska. The following information is included for each bill:

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

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: September 5, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: August 29, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: August 22, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: August 15, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: August 8, 2025

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Alaska
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Alaska
• Alaska elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Alaska
• Counties in Alaska
• List of United States Representatives from Alaska
• List of United States Senators from Alaska
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• Alaska Division of Elections
• Alaska Public Offices Commission
• Federal Election Commission
• Alaska Division of Elections, "File for Candidacy"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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