Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage |
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In this issue:
- Early Voting Opens on October 19th
- Election Series:
Ranked Choice Voting
- Voter Resources
- Election Reminders
- Judges on the Ballot
- Happy Alaska Day!
- Community Information
- Community Events
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Dear Friends and Neighbors, |
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The 2026 General Election is on Tuesday, November 3. We want voters to feel confident and informed about their vote, so we'll be reviewing ballot measures and voting procedures in weekly emails leading up to the election. We encourage every eligible Alaskan to vote in the 2026 General Election!
Absentee in-person and early voting opens next week on Monday, October 19th. In this week's Election Series, we explain how to use Ranked Choice Voting, provide an updated voter resources list, and discuss how judges are appointed and retained in Alaska.
Read on to learn more.
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Absentee In-Person and Early Voting Opens |
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Election Series
How To: Ranked Choice Voting
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Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is used in Alaska's General Election. RCV gives voters the opportunity to rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference: first, second, third, and fourth. Candidates must win with a majority of the vote, promoting fuller representation and reducing extreme positions.
How to Fill Out Your Ballot
When completing your general election ballot, here are some highlights and explanations on ranked choice voting.
- You do not have to rank all candidates.
- You only vote for or rank the candidate or candidates you want by filling in the oval in their row correspondent to the ranking column you desire.
- If you don’t want to vote for a candidate, simply don’t rank them by leaving their row blank.
- Fill in no more than one oval for each candidate or column.
- If you mistakenly fill in an oval, you can ask for a new ballot.
- You may write in a candidate if they are not on the ballot.
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How the Division of Elections Counts Ballots
Voters rank the candidates in order of preference and the Division of Elections counts votes in rounds.
Round One: The Division of Elections begins by counting all first choice votes to determine if a candidate receives 50% + 1 vote in Round One. If a candidate receives 50% + 1, the Division of Elections stops counting and that candidate wins the election. If no candidate receives 50% +1, the Division of Elections moves to Round Two.
Round Two: In Round Two, the Division of Elections eliminates the candidate with the fewest votes, or the “last place” finisher. When there are 4 candidates in a race, the Division of Elections will eliminate the 4th-place finisher in this round. For races with only 3 candidates, the Division of Elections will eliminate the 3rd-place finisher in this round.
In this process, if the Division of Elections eliminated voters’ first-choice candidate in this round, they distribute those voters’ second choice votes among the remaining candidates (3 remaining candidates if there are 4 candidates).
For voters whose first-choice candidate was not eliminated (one of the 3 remaining candidates if there are 4 candidates, or one of the 2 remaining candidates if there are 3 candidates), their first-choice vote remains with that candidate.
The Division of Elections then counts the votes for the remaining candidates (3 remaining candidates if there are 4 candidates; 2 remaining candidates if there are 3 candidates) to determine if a candidate receives 50% + 1 vote in Round Two. If a candidate receives 50% + 1 of the votes in Round Two, the Division of Elections stops counting and that candidate wins the election. If no candidate receives 50% +1, the Division of Elections moves to Round Three.
Round Three: The Division of Elections moves to Round Three when no candidate receives 50% + 1 in Round Two. In Round Three, the Division of Elections eliminates the third-place candidate. (With four candidates, at most, on the ballot, only two candidates will remain under consideration in Round Three.) In this process, for voters who chose the third-place candidate, the Division of Elections distributes those voters’ second-choice votes between the two remaining candidates. For voters who chose a candidate who did not finish third, their vote remains with their first choice candidate.
The Division of Elections then counts the votes for the 2 remaining candidates to determine which candidate received 50% + 1 vote in Round Three and that candidate wins the election.
More Information
Click here to access the Alaska Division of Elections guide and Frequently Asked Questions about Ranked Choice Voting.
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The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) has put together a voting tool kit for every region of Alaska. In these tool kits you can get help finding your district, polling location, Voter ID requirements, know what your ballot will look like, how to volunteer at the polls, and more.
Voter Hub created a ballot builder. All you need to do is input your voting address to get information on your district, what will be on your ballot, and where to get information on the candidates.
The Anchorage Daily News (ADN), Alaska Public Media, the Alaska Beacon, and KTOO Public Media partnered to ask candidates for office a set of detailed issue questions. This voter guide shows the responses to their questions, many of which came directly from readers and listeners who shared what they wanted to hear from the candidates. This guide is public and available to those not subscribed to the ADN.
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→ Absentee in-person and early voting starts October 19th.
Find a voting location near you online at https://www.elections.alaska.gov/avo/
→ The last day to request an absentee ballot is Saturday, October 24th.
→ The General Election takes place on Tuesday, November 3rd.
→ Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or received by Tuesday, November 3rd.
You must drop off your ballot by 8:00pm on Election Day if returning it to any voting location.
→ Check your voter registration online at myvoterportal.alaska.gov
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Under the Alaska Constitution, we select judges using a merit selection process. Merit selection brings together a pool of candidates for the Alaska Judicial Council to evaluate and consider. The Alaska Judicial Council then forwards two or more of the most qualified applicants to the Governor. And the Governor then makes the final decision about who will become a judge or a justice.
Although the Governor chooses the judges, voters decide whether judges and justices keep their positions. This public process is called a retention election. It's a yes or no vote on whether the judge will remain on the job.
The Alaska Constitution created the Alaska Judicial Council and Alaska law requires the Judicial Council to publish a review of each judge's performance.
The Judicial Council considers data, feedback, and commentary from a wide range of individuals who interact with the judge during their term. The people providing data, feedback, and commentary include lawyers, jurors, court staff, social services professionals, police, troopers, and more. You can learn more about the evaluation process online here.
Based on their review and evaluation, the Judicial Council makes a recommendation for each judge. If they are qualified, they receive a "yes" recommendation. If they are not qualified, they receive a "no" recommendation.
The Alaska Judicial Council recommendations for each judge and justice are published in the Official Election Pamphlet, which is available online here. For Anchorage, Palmer, Kenai, and other communities in the Third Judicial District, the Judicial Council recommended a “yes” vote for all of the judges and justices except two. The Judical Council recommended a “no” vote for Superior Court Judge Kelly Lawson (Kenai) and a “no” vote for District Court Judge Martin Fallon (Kenai).
In addition, Alaskans for Fair Courts has published a guide to finding the Judicial Council's recommendations and which judges are in your area. This year, the Third Judicial District, which includes regions like Anchorage, has 13 judges on the ballot. You can view this resource online here. Select your community from the dropdown list, find which judges are up for a retention vote, and review the recommendation for each one.
This video, produced by Alaskans for Fair Courts, is helpful for understanding this part of your ballot.
Fair and impartial courts are essential to our system of government in Alaska and in our great nation.
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Each year on October 18th, we celebrate Alaska’s rich history and heritage by commemorating the 1867 transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States, paving the way to Statehood. |
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→ Ted Stevens Legislative Internship
The Ted Stevens Legislative Internship is a fantastic opportunity for students in the University of Alaska system to get experience in the Alaska State Legislature and to learn more about State policy.
If you or anyone you know attending UAA or another UA campus is interested in serving in a state legislative office, earning 12 credits, and gaining invaluable work experience that can supercharge their transition to a career after graduation, please learn more about this program. Any major is welcome!
Applications are accepted online and are due on November 1st by 11:59 PM. To learn more and apply, please click here.
→ Anchorage Terminal Area Airspace Procedures Study (ATAAPS) Public Comment
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the public review, comment period, and public workshops for the Area Airspace and Procedures Study (ATAAPS).
ATAAPS involves changes to the airspace, aircraft flight paths, and aircraft altitudes in the Anchorage basin and surrounding areas.
The FAA has completed a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) and is now looking for public comment on the assessment. The FAA has not made any final decisions on any airspace/procedure amendments.
There are two virtual public workshops planned:
October 27th, 2026 from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M. You can register online here.
October 28th, 2026 from 5 P.M to 7 P.M. You can register online here.
You can read the Draft Environmental Assessment and find other information online.
The public comment period closes on November 9th, 2026. Public comments can be made by mail or email:
ATTN: ATAAPS Project Operations Support Group
FAA-ATO Western Service Center
2200 S. 216th St.
Des Moines, WA 98198-6547
Email: 9-AJO-ATAAPS-Environmental@faa.gov
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Sand Lake Fall Carnival
When: Friday, October 23, from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Where: Sand Lake Elementary School, 7500 Jewel Lake Rd.
Cost: Free entry. Tickets for games, concessions, and activities can be purchased ahead of time by October 20th or at the door.
Join the Sand Lake PTSA for a fun-filled evening at the annual Fall Carnival! The event is free to enter. Costumes are encouraged (no weapons, please), there will be games, concessions available, food trucks, cotton candy, a haunted hallway and trick-or-treating! For more information or to volunteer, click here.
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Alaska Federation of Natives 2026 Annual Convention
When: October 22-24
Where: Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center, 600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Cost: Free
For sixty years, the Alaska Federation of Natives has united Alaska Native peoples in advocacy, leadership, and purpose. Our 2026 theme, Rooted in Land and Tradition, Rising in Our Voices, reflects both our foundation and our future. Grounded in the lands, waters, cultures, and traditions that have sustained our peoples since time immemorial, we come together to elevate our collective voice in shaping policies, protecting our rights, and strengthening our communities. As we celebrate this historic milestone, we honor those who came before us while empowering the next generation to carry our shared vision forward—rooted in our heritage, united in purpose, and rising together. To learn more and view the agenda, click here.
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2026 Statewide Elders & Youth Conference
When: October 18-21
Where: Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center
Cost: $0-$75
The Annual Statewide Elders & Youth Conference is hosted by First Alaskans Institute (FAI) in partnership with our community. This year's theme, K’ets’e kk’ʉdaa neehʉghleł (Denaakk'e, Koyukon Athabascan) - "We are approaching change" - was inspired by the concept of Adapting to Changing Landscapes. To learn more and to register, click here.
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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