Alaska’s Republican primary rules changed in 2022: there is no longer a Republican-only primary ballot. Every candidate for state and federal office, regardless of party, appears on a single nonpartisan primary ballot, and every registered voter picks one candidate per race. The four candidates with the most votes in each race advance to the general election, where the winner is decided by ranked choice voting. Alaska voters put this system in place when they approved Ballot Measure 2 in 2020.1Division of Elections, State of Alaska. Election Information
No Separate Republican Ballot
Republicans, Democrats, independents, third-party candidates, and unaffiliated candidates all compete in the same primary race. Candidates can list a party affiliation or a label such as “nonpartisan” or “undeclared” next to their name, but that label does not sort them into separate contests. There is no Republican nominee produced by this primary. The top four vote-getters move on, and those four could all be Republicans, could come from four different parties, or anything in between.1Division of Elections, State of Alaska. Election Information
For voters used to a closed primary, the practical shift is simple. Every voter in the state now has a say in which Republican candidates (if any) advance, not just registered Republicans. A crowded field with several strong Republican names can split the Republican vote, and nothing in the rules guarantees a party a slot on the November ballot.
Who Can Vote
Any registered Alaska voter can cast a ballot in the primary. You do not need to belong to a party, and you do not need to declare an affiliation at the polls. The requirements are the standard ones for voting in Alaska:
- U.S. citizenship.
- At least 18 years old.
- Alaska resident, and a resident of your election district, for at least 30 days before the election.
- Registered to vote by the deadline, and not registered in another state.
You can register online, by mail, or in person at a Division of Elections office. Online registration requires a valid Alaska driver’s license or state ID so your record can be matched against DMV data. Your application has to be received or postmarked by the registration deadline to count for that election.2Alaska Division of Elections. Who Can Register And Vote
Dates for the 2026 Cycle
- Candidate filing deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2026.
- Primary election: Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
- General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The August primary narrows each race to four candidates by straight vote totals. The November general election decides the winner by ranked choice.1Division of Elections, State of Alaska. Election Information3Division of Elections, State of Alaska. Candidates
How Ranked Choice Voting Decides the General
In November, the four primary survivors appear together on one ballot. Instead of picking one, you rank them: first choice, second choice, third, and fourth. You can rank as many or as few as you want.4FindLaw. Alaska Code 15.15.350
The count runs in rounds. Every ballot is first counted for its top-ranked candidate. If a candidate has more than half of the active ballots, that candidate wins and the count stops. If no one clears that threshold, the last-place candidate is eliminated, and each ballot that ranked the eliminated candidate first is transferred to whichever candidate the voter ranked next. Another round begins. The process repeats until someone passes the majority threshold or only two candidates are left, at which point the one with more votes wins.4FindLaw. Alaska Code 15.15.350
A few mechanics matter when you fill out the ballot. Skipping one ranking is fine; the count jumps to your next ranked candidate. Skipping two rankings in a row makes your ballot inactive from that point on. Giving two candidates the same ranking (an overvote) also inactivates your ballot once the count reaches that ranking. Ranking at least your top two or three choices, without gaps, keeps your ballot in the count the longest.4FindLaw. Alaska Code 15.15.350
Presidential Races Are Not Part of This
The top-four primary and ranked choice system do not apply to presidential elections. Ballot Measure 2 specifically excluded the office of President. Alaska Republicans still select their presidential delegates through party-run processes rather than the state primary ballot, so you will not see presidential candidates on the primary ballot in a presidential year.