Laws governing ballot measures in Alaska
From Ballotpedia
This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in Alaska, including the initiative and referendum process, constitutional amendments, signature requirements, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.
Explore the links below for more information:
- Types of ballot measures in Alaska
- Laws governing the initiative process in Alaska
- Amending the Alaska Constitution
- Laws governing local ballot measures in Alaska
- Signature requirements for ballot measures in Alaska
- Laws governing recall in Alaska
- Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Alaska
- Campaign finance requirements for Alaska ballot measures
- Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Alaska
Laws governing ballot measures in Alaska
Types of ballot measures in Alaska
- Alaska has two types of citizen-initiated ballot measures: indirect initiated state statutes, and veto referendums.
- In Alaska, the legislature can refer constitutional amendments, bond measures, and advisory questions to the ballot.
Laws governing the initiative process in Alaska
- Citizens of Alaska may initiate legislation through the process of indirect initiative. In Alaska, successful petitions are first presented to the Alaska State Legislature. If the measure (or an equivalent measure) is not adopted, the law is then placed before voters. In Alaska, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum.
- Alaska residents may not amend their constitution via initiative or directly initiate legislation.
- From 1985 to 2024, voters decided on 42 ballot initiatives in Alaska.
Amending the Alaska Constitution
- Alaska became a state in 1959. The current state constitution was ratified in 1956 and went into effect in 1959.
- The Alaska Constitution can be amended in three ways:
- Legislatively referred constitutional amendment: The state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot. A two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber of the Alaska State Legislature during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot.
- Convention-referred constitutional amendment: A state constitutional convention can vote to refer constitutional changes to the ballot.
- According to Section 3 of Article 13 of the Alaska Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 10 years starting in 1970. Alaska is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.
Laws governing local ballot measures in Alaska
- Alaska Constitution, Article X, Section 9, 10, and 11 authorize the adoption of home rule charters. Section 11 states "A home rule borough or city may exercise all legislative powers not prohibited by law or by charter."
- The ability of Alaskans to use the initiative process in general law municipalities in the state is set forth in Alaska's State Statute 29.26.100, which says, "The powers of initiative and referendum are reserved to the residents of municipalities, except the powers do not extend to matters restricted by art. XI, Sec. 7 of the state constitution."
Signature requirements for ballot measures in Alaska
- In Alaska, 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.
- An initiated state statute or veto referendum requires a number of signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last general election.
- The deadline to submit signatures for an initiative is 365 days after petition booklets for a proposed initiative are issued by the state's division of elections. The deadline is different for each initiative. Moreover, initiative signatures must be submitted before the beginning of the legislative session in January.
Laws governing recall in Alaska
- Alaska allows for the recall of state and local officials
- All elected public officers of Alaska, except for judges/judicial officers, including members of the Alaska State Legislature, the governor of Alaska, and other statewide elected officials, are subject to recall.
- An official who is elected or appointed to an elective municipal office and members of public school district school boards in Alaska are subject to recall. Alaska's municipal governments include both home rule and charter governments, and the local recall law explicitly says that the state statute for local recall governs both "home rule and general law municipalities."
Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Alaska
- According to Section 3 of Article 13 of the Alaska Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 10 years starting in 1970. Alaska is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.
Campaign finance requirements for Alaska ballot measures
- Alaska's Campaign Disclosure Law defines any group of two or more people who act to influence the outcome of the vote on a ballot measure and spend at least $500 as a ballot group. Ballot groups may support, sponsor, or oppose a referendum, initiative, or recall, or they may campaign for a constitutional convention. Ballot groups must register with the Public Offices Commission within 30 days of their first filing with the lieutenant governor. For groups initiating a ballot measure, the first filing is the date the group files the proposed language for an initiative and submits the required signatures of 100 supporters with the lieutenant governor or Division of Elections.
Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Alaska
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
The Alaska State Legislature did not pass legislation concerning ballot measures in 2025.
See also
Footnotes
