It’s primary Election Day in Alaska, the day Alaskans decide which candidates have the best judgment, character, energy, and talent to represent them in the state House, state Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives.
The polls are now open and will close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, sign-wavers for congressional candidate Nick Begich gathered in the parking lot of Carrs/Safeway at the corner of New Seward Highway and Northern Lights Blvd. Other candidates will have their sign-waving crews out as well along the major intersections, an Alaska election-day tradition to catch the attention of the going-to-work crowd and the going-home crowd of potential voters.
Sign wavers were also out in Fairbanks this morning under cloudy skies.
Given the problems with the elections already by Division of Elections, with late ballots getting out to villages and lack of information available to the media and candidates, at least the division won’t be overwhelmed by a huge turnout, or so it appears.
Turnout so far in early voting and absentee has been up over 2018 and 2020’s turnout, but down from 2022. Early votes received from Aug. 5 through Aug. 18 totaled 12,534, down from 18,296 in the same time period in 2022, but that year there was a “special general” and regular primary after the unexpected death of Congressman Don Young.
This year, there are 9,715 outstanding absentee ballots that were sent out to voters at their request but have not been returned to the Division of Elections.
To find out where you can vote, check this link at the Division of Elections.
This ballot is an open ballot, with all candidates appearing, regardless of party. Democrats have remained disciplined in not running more than one credible Democrat in any race. Republicans have not done the same, but only a few races will have decisions made in the primary.
In races with fewer than four candidates, all four will proceed to the November ballot.
Only the congressional seat, the state Senate seat L for Eagle River, and House District 36 for Interior will have a winnowing of candidates in this election to get to a final four. The congressional seat is the one with the most candidates — 12, with four of them registered Republicans.
If all goes according to past history, most races will have results known by 10 p.m. Tuesday. The Division will then not release the late-arriving absentee numbers for seven days, and then another release on Day 10 after the election, Aug. 30.
Candidates who are chosen to proceed to the Nov. 5 general election ballot will have until Sept. 2 to drop.
