United States Senate Election In Alaska, 2022 (August 16 Top-Four Primary)
From Ballotpedia
- Primary date: Aug. 16
- Mail-in registration deadline: July 17
- Online reg. deadline: July 17
- In-person reg. deadline: July 17
- Early voting starts: Aug. 1
- Early voting ends: Aug. 15
- Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Absentee/mail-in deadline: Aug. 16
2026 →
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|
| U.S. Senate, Alaska |
|---|
 |
| Top-four primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 1, 2022 |
| Primary: August 16, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent: Lisa Murkowski (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Alaska |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • At-large Alaska elections, 2022 U.S. Congress elections, 2022 U.S. Senate elections, 2022 U.S. House elections, 2022 |
Nineteen candidates ran in the top-four Senate primary in Alaska on August 16, 2022. Incumbent Lisa Murkowski (R), Kelly Tshibaka (R), Patricia Chesbro (D), and Buzz Kelley (R) advanced to the general election.
This was the first time the top-four primary was used in a Senate race since Alaska voters approved the concept in 2020. Under this system, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run in a single primary election. The four candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, where the winner is decided using ranked-choice voting. To learn more about this election system, click here.
The 19 candidates included eight Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian, five independents, and two Alaskan Independence Party candidates.
FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver wrote it was likely at least two Republican candidates and a Democratic one would advance to the general election. [1]
Murkowski, the incumbent since 2002, had the endorsements of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), fellow Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R), and Sens. Joe Manchin (D) and Kyrsten Sinema (D).[2][3][4][5]
Tshibaka, a former commissioner at the Alaska Department of Administration had the endorsements of former President Donald Trump (R) and the Alaska Republican Party.[6][7]
At the time of the primary, Chesbro was an educator from Palmer, and Kelley was a retired mechanic from Wasilla.[8][9]
Other candidates who reported raising funds for the election or had been named in public polling were:
- Huhnkie Lee (I), a computer programmer and attorney;[8]
- Shoshana Gungurstein (I), a businesswoman;[10]
- Sean Thorne (L), a U.S. Army veteran;[11]
- and Dustin Darden (Alaskan Independence Party), a maintenance worker and 2018 candidate for the Alaska House of Representatives.[12]
At the time of the primary, three election forecasters rated the general election Solid or Safe Republican.
Murkowski's father, Frank Murkowski (R), was senator from 1981 to 2002, when he resigned to become governor of Alaska. After taking office, the elder Murkowski appointed his daughter to the U.S. Senate seat. In 2010, after losing the Republican nomination, Lisa Murkowski successfully ran for re-election as a write-in candidate. As of 2022, she was one of two U.S. Senators, alongside South Carolina's Strom Thurmond in 1954, to have been elected as a write-in candidate.
Patricia Chesbro (D), Shoshana Gungurstein (Independent), Huhnkie Lee (Independent), Karl Speights (R), and Joe Stephens (Alaskan Independence Party) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
This page focuses on Alaska's United States Senate top-four primary. For more in-depth information on the general election, see the following page:
Election news[edit]
Click below to view a timeline leading up to the election.
Candidates and election results[edit]
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Alaska
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lisa Murkowski (R) | 45.0 | 85,794 |
| ✔ |  | Kelly Tshibaka (R) | 38.5 | 73,414 |
| ✔ |  | Patricia Chesbro (D)  | 6.8 | 12,989 |
| ✔ |  | Buzz Kelley (R) | 2.1 | 4,055 |
| Pat Nolin (R) | 1.1 | 2,004 | ||
 | Edgar Blatchford (D) | 1.0 | 1,981 | |
 | Ivan Taylor (D) | 1.0 | 1,897 | |
 | Samuel Merrill (R) | 0.8 | 1,529 | |
 | Sean Thorne (L) | 0.7 | 1,399 | |
 | Shoshana Gungurstein (Independent) | 0.4 | 853 | |
 | Joe Stephens (Alaskan Independence Party) | 0.4 | 805 | |
 | John Schiess (R) | 0.4 | 734 | |
 | Dustin Darden (Alaskan Independence Party) | 0.3 | 649 | |
 | Kendall Shorkey (R) | 0.3 | 627 | |
 | Karl Speights (R) | 0.3 | 613 | |
| Jeremy Keller (Independent) | 0.2 | 405 | ||
 | Sid Hill (Independent) | 0.1 | 274 | |
 | Huhnkie Lee (Independent) | 0.1 | 238 | |
| David Darden (Independent) | 0.1 | 198 | ||
| Total votes: 190,458 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Sam Little (R)
- Elvi Gray-Jackson (D)
- Shellie Wyatt (Alaskan Independence Party)
Sample ballot[edit]
The following sample ballot is from the Alaska Division of Elections.[17]
Candidate comparison[edit]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses[edit]
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Education is vital to a healthy democracy. As such, our education system must be vibrant and robust. Every student must be challenged to learn and think. Our current environment is awash with lies and hatred. People who are bent on destroying democracy use propaganda and to make our children feel like victims in their own country. Those that spew disinformation count on building fear and distrust. Good classroom teaching engages students in analyzing information so that they have the tools to question those lies and half-truths. Good classroom teaching prepares young people to be confident citizens who believe they have a voice in their own future.
Every world citizen must commit to restoring health to the world’s natural environment. Elected officials are especially important in this effort. The science is clear that our Earth is endangered by human practices. The United States, for example, seems especially reluctant to both admit our role in a warming climate, rising seas, unpredictable weather, air and water pollution, increased wildfires and the many effects of our extensive use of fossil fuels. We cannot turn off the spigot on fossil fuels. We can invest in our future through developing our renewable resources to create the energy on which we depend. We can learn about our personal life choices to ensure a healthy planet.
Shoshana Gungurstein (Independent)
Responsible resource development with environmental stewardship.
Individual Liberty, Privacy, and Freedom for all Alaskans.
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
But we can create jobs for Alaskan children by developing mining and farming.
Let us mine metals, minerals, oil and gas; let us farm bears, moose, lobsters, razor clams, in environmentally sound fashion!
Karl Speights (R)
I LOVE GOD, COUNTRY, AND THE AMERICAN FAMILY; every Leftist-One World Government attack is against those three!,
OUR FORE FATHERS WARNED US ...TAKE GOD OUT OF AMERICA, AND YOU WILL DESTROY AMERICA
Joe Stephens (Alaskan Independence)
Building Bridges to Somewhere
Supporting the Veterans - 10 acres of free federal land
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Education policy is largely a state responsibility. However, the federal government must create policies that protect students and ensure that schools provide equitable treatment and opportunities for all. Further, federal dollars must support federal mandates. Environment policy has become even more vital as we witness the dire effects of climate change. These policies are and should be regulatory. Yet incentives must also be embedded in environmental policies. Finally, we should rigorously evaluate policies to assess their effectiveness in solving the problems they intend to solve.
Shoshana Gungurstein (Independent)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
We can explore possibility of developing nuclear icebreakers (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear-powered_icebreaker), to open up the northern Arctic trade/tourist route, in order to take advantage of global warming. We will build harbors and hotels in arctic Alaska to accommodate international maritime travelers.
We can farm black/white/brown bears in big Alaskan lands with fences in Safari style. Bear farms will serve as drive-through safaris and feeding zoos where patrons bring food to feed bears themselves, safely. We can take bear cubs to rent them out as pets and take them back after they grow big, so that they continue to produce baby bears in bear farms. After bears pass reproductive ages, we will harvest them to sell furs, meat, bones, and organs.
We can farm all Alaskan berries, which are known to have higher levels of vitamins and minerals than berries elsewhere. Salmon berries and Red Currants, if farmed, will have international appeal, as their texture and taste are beyond imagination.
We will emphasize education in our children and show them how fun it is to learn science, arts, history, sports, and foreign languages.
Karl Speights (R)
Joe Stephens (Alaskan Independence)
Trump and my rejection of the current Senator Murkowski. I Support the Trump initiatives. I Support building the Wall. I Support tariffs against China. I Support the Space Force. If elected Senator I will see that these initiatives are successfully implemented for the good of the American People. I also support the Veterans of the U.S. Armed forces. My first initiative in Congress will be to see that all Veterans in the State of Alaska receive 10 free acres of federal land. I will also ensure that VA clinics are constructed in all cities in the State of Alaska. I propose that the State of Alaska support the creation of a Medical School. We need to train the best and brightest students to face future pandemics. The reliance on the federal government for all our medical needs has proven to be disastrous. High gas prices, high inflation, ongoing pandemics these are the problems that the current leadership has failed to address. Their failures should not be continuously rewarded with re-election. I will ensure that the oil industry is allowed to drill for new oil wells and the industry has full government support. I will fight to ensure that the citizens of Alaska get paid the maximum Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)
amount that they deserve. With record high oil prices, the citizens of Alaska deserve to be paid.
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
An ideal political leader is someone who can solve real world problems in a creative way. Working 80 hours a week leaves a person no room to think creatively. To solve challenging problem, we need to sit back, think about it, and come up with a bold, brand-new solution. Today’s American politics is mostly about money and elected officials working overtime. And we don’t see those officials solving real world problems well. It’s because they don’t know how to be creative.
When I was in US Army, I learned from my Sergeants that we ought to work smarter, not harder. It’s quality, not quantity, of work that matters and that solve problems. As a former computer programmer, I was trained to solve problems. I believe God created problems so we solve them.
Karl Speights (R)
Karl Speights (R)
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Karl Speights (R)
Karl Speights (R)
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
As a senator, I will bring ideologically diverse people together so that we will reach a perfect solution. I will work with both conservatives and liberalists so that our solution would satisfy every single one in the room. We can achieve this goal only when we respect people who disagree with us, and at the very least try to understand where they come from, and what’s the rationale behind their objection to our ideas. After we hear their conscientious objections, we can modify our solutions to accommodate their concerns and such process is actually a very constructive and healthy one. That’d be my approach.
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Patricia Chesbro (D)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Legislation is not the best solution to every problem out there. Mostly, I will work with diverse sectors in society and connect the dots to solve problems. To make a project work, for instance Pebble Mine Resurrection Project, I’d talk to investors, private companies, state/federal officials and legislators, fishermen, and local residents in the Bristol Bay. I’d listen to them, ask them questions, and study the issue, discuss and brainstorm to find the best way to let the Pebble company start building the mine there. Governmental officials, all they need to do is say yes, and give it the stamp of approval. Then the mining professionals and investors will do the rest of work, create jobs, and start making money for Alaska.
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
“Hey dude, you’ve eaten dogs in Korea?”
“Ahh… yes.”
“How many?”
“Ahh… three.”
“How do they taste?”
“Ahh… they taste like… your best friends.”
//x-D
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Huhnkie Lee (Independent)
Karl Speights (R)
Karl Speights (R)
Campaign websites[edit]
The following candidates had active campaign websites as of July 22, 2022. If you know of a campaign website we're missing, please email us.
News and conflicts in this primary[edit]
This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 Senate primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
- Heart of the Primaries 2022, Democrats-Issue 37 (September 1, 2022)
- Heart of the Primaries 2022, Republicans-Issue 30 (July 7, 2022)
Noteworthy endorsements[edit]
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Election competitiveness[edit]
Polls[edit]
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
General election race ratings[edit]
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[18]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[19][20][21]
| Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Alabama, 2022 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| November 8, 2022 | November 1, 2022 | October 25, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. | |||||||||
Election spending[edit]
Campaign finance[edit]
This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[22] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[23] Click here to view the reporting schedule for candidates for U.S. Congress in 2022.
| U.S. Congress campaign reporting schedule, 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Close of books | Filing deadline |
| Year-end 2021 | 12/31/2021 | 1/31/2022 |
| April quarterly | 3/31/2022 | 4/15/2022 |
| July quarterly | 6/30/2022 | 7/15/2022 |
| October quarterly | 9/30/2022 | 10/15/2022 |
| Pre-general | 10/19/2022 | 10/27/2022 |
| Post-general | 11/28/2022 | 12/08/2022 |
| Year-end 2022 | 12/31/2022 | 1/31/2023 |
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Murkowski | Republican Party | $11,296,273 | $10,729,705 | $657,686 | As of December 31, 2022 |
| Edgar Blatchford | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Patricia Chesbro | Democratic Party | $188,577 | $180,947 | $7,630 | As of December 31, 2022 |
| Ivan Taylor | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Buzz Kelley | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Samuel Merrill | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Pat Nolin | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| John Schiess | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kendall Shorkey | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Karl Speights | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kelly Tshibaka | Republican Party | $6,011,432 | $5,960,180 | $51,252 | As of December 31, 2022 |
| Dustin Darden | Alaskan Independence Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Joe Stephens | Alaskan Independence Party | $71 | $71 | $0 | As of December 31, 2022 |
| Sean Thorne | Libertarian Party | $4,842 | $4,842 | $0 | As of August 26, 2022 |
| David Darden | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Shoshana Gungurstein | Independent | $32,700 | $32,480 | $-44 | As of November 11, 2022 |
| Sid Hill | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Jeremy Keller | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Huhnkie Lee | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2022. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending[edit]
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[24][25][26]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
- Open Secrets - United States Senate election in Alaska, 2022
- Federal Election Commission - United States Senate election in Alaska, 2022
Alaska's top-four primary/ranked-choice voting general election system[edit]
- See also: Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting and Campaign Finance Laws Initiative (2020)
In 2020, voters in Alaska passed Ballot Measure 2 in a 50.55%-49.45% vote. The measure established open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices and ranked-choice voting for general elections, including presidential elections. As a result, the 2022 special and regular U.S. House elections were conducted as follows.
In each race, all primary candidates ran in a single primary election, regardless of the candidate's party affiliation. The four candidates that received the most votes advanced to the general election.[27] As of 2022, California and Washington used a top-two system for primaries.
At the general election, voters used ranked-choice voting. They could rank the four candidates that advanced from their top-four primaries. A candidate needed a simple majority of the vote (50%+1) to be declared the winner of an election. Under this system, if no candidate wins a simple majority of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice have their votes redistributed to their second choice. The tabulation process continues until there are two candidates remaining, and the candidate with the greatest number of votes wins.[27]
Election analysis[edit]
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Presidential elections[edit]
Cook PVI by congressional district[edit]
| Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Alaska, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
| Alaska's At-Large | Vacant |  Republican |
R+8 |
2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines[edit]
| 2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Alaska[28] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Joe Biden 
|
Donald Trump 
| ||
| Alaska's At-Large | 43.0% | 53.1% | ||
2012-2020[edit]
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Ballotpedia could not produce this analysis for Alaska, which does not have counties but rather 19 boroughs and one unorganized borough. Presidential election results are not recorded by borough, but rather using 40 election districts throughout the state. Overall, Alaska was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020.
Historical voting trends[edit]
Alaska presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 1 Democratic win
- 15 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Statewide elections[edit]
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections[edit]
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Alaska.
| U.S. Senate election results in Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2020 | 53.9% |
41.2% (Independent)
|
| 2016 | 44.5% |
29.2%
|
| 2014 | 48.0% |
45.8%
|
| 2010 | 39.5% |
35.5%
|
| 2008 | 47.8% |
46.6%
|
| Average | 46.7 | 39.7 |
Gubernatorial elections[edit]
- See also: Governor of Alaska
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Alaska.
| Gubernatorial election results in Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2018 | 51.4% |
44.4%
|
| 2014 | 48.1% (Independent) |
45.9%
|
| 2010 | 59.1% |
37.7%
|
| 2006 | 48.3% |
41.0%
|
| 2002 | 55.9% |
40.7%
|
| Average | 52.6 | 41.9 |
State partisanship[edit]
Congressional delegation[edit]
The table below displays the partisan composition of Alaska's congressional delegation as of November 2022.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Alaska, November 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Republican | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 3 |
State executive[edit]
The table below displays the officeholders in Alaska's top three state executive offices as of November 2022.
| State executive officials in Alaska, November 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Mike Dunleavy
|
| Lieutenant Governor | Kevin Meyer
|
| Attorney General | Treg Taylor
|
State legislature[edit]
The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Alaska State Legislature as of November 2022.
Alaska State Senate[edit]
| Party | As of November 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 7 | |
| Republican Party | 13 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | |
Alaska House of Representatives[edit]
| Party | As of November 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 15 | |
| Republican Party | 21 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
| Nonpartisan | 1 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Trifecta control[edit]
As of November 2022, Alaska was a divided government, with Republicans controlling the state senate and governorship and a split house. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.
Alaska Party Control: 1992-2022
No Democratic trifectas • Six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | I | I | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | I | I | I | I | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | S | S | S | S |
Demographics[edit]
The table below details demographic data in Alaska and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.
| Demographic Data for Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | United States | |
| Population | 710,231 | 308,745,538 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 571,019 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 64.6% | 72.5% |
| Black/African American | 3.3% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 6.2% | 5.5% |
| Native American | 14.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 1.2% | 0.2% |
| Other (single race) | 1.5% | 4.9% |
| Multiple | 8.2% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 7% | 18% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 92.8% | 88% |
| College graduation rate | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $77,640 | $62,843 |
| Persons below poverty level | 10.7% | 13.4% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Election context[edit]
Ballot access requirements[edit]
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 |
Alaska U.S. Senate history[edit]
2016[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Lisa Murkowski Incumbent |
44.4% | 138,149 | |
| Libertarian | Joe Miller | 29.2% | 90,825 | |
| Independent | Margaret Stock | 13.2% | 41,194 | |
| Democratic | Ray Metcalfe | 11.6% | 36,200 | |
| Independent | Breck Craig | 0.8% | 2,609 | |
| Independent | Ted Gianoutsos | 0.6% | 1,758 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0.2% | 706 | |
| Total Votes | 311,441 | |||
| Source: Alaska Secretary of State | ||||
2010[edit]
On November 2, 2010, Lisa Murkowski won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Joe Miller (R), Scott T. McAdams (D), Frederick Haase (L), Tim Carter (Nonaffiliated) and Ted Gianoutsos (Nonaffiliated) in the general election.[29]
| U.S. Senate, Alaska General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Write-in | Lisa Murkowski incumbent |
39.7% | 101,091 | |
| Republican | Joe Miller | 35.6% | 90,839 | |
| Democratic | Scott T. McAdams | 23.6% | 60,045 | |
| Libertarian | Frederick Haase | 0.6% | 1,459 | |
| Nonaffiliated | Tim Carter | 0.4% | 927 | |
| Nonaffiliated | Ted Gianoutsos | 0.2% | 458 | |
| Total Votes | 254,819 | |||
2004[edit]
On November 2, 2004, Lisa Murkowski won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Tony Knowles (D), Marc Millican (nonpartisan), Jerry Sanders (Alaskan Independence), Jim Sykes (G), Scott Kohlhaas (Alaska Libertarian) and Ted Gianoutsos (nonpartisan) in the general election.[30]
| U.S. Senate, Alaska General Election, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Lisa Murkowski incumbent |
48.6% | 149,773 | |
| Democratic | Tony Knowles | 45.5% | 140,424 | |
| Nonpartisan | Marc Millican | 2.9% | 8,885 | |
| Alaskan Independence | Jerry Sanders | 1.2% | 3,785 | |
| Green | Jim Sykes | 1% | 3,053 | |
| Alaska Libertarian | Scott Kohlhaas | 0.4% | 1,240 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ted Gianoutsos | 0.2% | 732 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0.1% | 423 | |
| Total Votes | 308,315 | |||
Ranked-choice voting in the U.S.[edit]
History of RCV in the states[edit]
As of 2022, voters had decided on four ranked-choice voting ballot measures in three states—Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts.
Maine (2016, 2018)[edit]
In 2016, Maine became the first state to pass an RCV ballot measure, Maine Question 5, which established the voting system for congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative primary and general elections.
Legislators passed a bill to repeal Question 5, but the initiative's backers brought the legislation to a public vote through the veto referendum process in 2018. Voters approved Question 1, upholding RCV in Maine.
The Maine State Legislature expanded RCV to presidential elections in 2020. Opponents petitioned a referendum to repeal the legislation but fell about 1,000 signatures short of the requirement.
Massachusetts (2020)[edit]
Voters in Massachusetts defeated an RCV ballot initiative in 2020 with 54.8% of the vote. Like Maine Question 5, Massachusetts Question 2 would have established RCV for primary and general elections.
Alaska (2020)[edit]
Alaska Measure 2 passed with 50.6% of the vote. Measure 2 was different from Maine's or Massachusetts' RCV initiatives in that primary elections would not use RCV. Instead, Measure 2 replaced partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices. Under Measure 2, voters then use RCV to rank the four candidates at the general election.
State and local use[edit]
As of July 2025, ranked-choice voting is used in some states and localities across the United States. See the map, tables, and list below for further details. The numbers below do not include states where RCV is used by a political party for partisan primaries, or where military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots for runoff elections. For more information on these uses of RCV, see the table beneath the map below.
If you know of any additional U.S. localities using RCV that should be included here, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.[31]
- RCV used statewide: Three states use RCV statewide. Alaska and Maine use RCV in some federal and statewide elections, while Hawaii uses it for certain statewide elections.
- RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities: Fourteen states contain localities that either use or are scheduled to begin using RCV in municipal elections.
- RCV prohibited: Seventeen states have adopted law prohibiting the use of RCV in any elections.
- No laws addressing RCV, not in use: Twenty-two states have no laws addressing RCV, and neither the state nor any localities in the state use it.[32]
The map below shows which states use ranked-choice voting statewide or in some localities as of July 2025. It also shows the states where RCV is either prohibited or not addressed in the law. It does not show states where RCV is used by a political party for partisan primaries, or where military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots for runoff elections. See the table beneath the map for details on these uses of RCV.
The table below summarizes the use of ranked-choice voting in the U.S. by state as of July 2025.
| State | RCV use | Details | State law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2024 | Alabama Code § 11-46-10, Alabama Code § 17-1-6 |
| Alaska | RCV used statewide | RCV has been authorized for federal and certain statewide elections since 2020 and used since 2022. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state. |
Alaska Statutes § 15-15-350 |
| Arizona | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Arkansas | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025 | Arkansas Code § 7-1-116 |
| California | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following seven localities: Albany, Berkeley, Eureka, Oakland, Palm Desert, San Francisco, and San Leandro. RCV is also authorized in the following two localities: Ojai (scheduled for use in 2024) and Redondo Beach (scheduled for use in 2025). Cal. Government Code § 24206 also permits Santa Clara County to use RCV |
California Government Code § 24206 |
| Colorado | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following four localities: Basalt, Boulder, Broomfield, and Carbondale. RCV is also authorized in the following locality: Fort Collins (scheduled for use in 2025) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-7-118 permits certain municipalities to use RCV for local elections. |
Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-7-118. |
| Connecticut | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Delaware | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following locality: Arden | |
| Florida | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2022, blocking its adoption in the following locality: Sarasota | Florida Statutes § 101.019 |
| Georgia | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | Military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots when voting in runoff elections. | |
| Hawaii | RCV used statewide | RCV has been authorized statewide for certain federal and local elections since 2022 and used since 2023. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state. |
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 11-100 |
| Idaho | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2023 | Idaho Statutes § 34-903B |
| Illinois | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is authorized in the following localities: Evanston (scheduled for use in 2025), Skokie (scheduled for use in 2026), Springfield (only used by overseas absentee voters in local elections) | |
| Indiana | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Iowa | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025 | Iowa Code § 49.93 |
| Kansas | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025. RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state | |
| Kentucky | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2024 | Kentucky Revised Statutes § 117.147 |
| Louisiana | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2024 | Louisiana Revised Statutes § 18:404 |
| Maine | RCV used statewide | RCV has been authorized for federal and statewide elections since 2016 and used since 2018. Maine has also authorized RCV for all municipal election and it is currently used for these elections in the following localities: Portland, and Westbrook |
30-A Maine Revised Statutes § 2528, sub-§ 10 |
| Maryland | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following locality: Tacoma Park | |
| Massachusetts | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following two localities: Cambridge and Easthampton. Cambridge holds the record for the longest continuous use of RCV in the U.S. (1941-present). RCV is also authorized in the following locality: Amherst (schedule for use is uncertain) |
|
| Michigan | No laws addressing RCV, not in use | RCV has been approved, but is not used, in the following localities: Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Kalamazoo, East Lansing, and Royal Oak. Although Michigan does not explicitly prohibit the use of RCV, state election laws prevent the implementation of RCV. |
|
| Minnesota | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following five localities: Bloomington, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, and St. Paul. RCV was also used in the following locality, but it is no longer in use: Hopkins | |
| Mississippi | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2024 | Mississippi Code § 23-15-893 |
| Missouri | RCV prohibited | Missouri voters approved Amendment 7 on November 5, 2024. The constitutional amendment prohibited ranked-choice voting, among other changes to the state's election laws | Article VIII, § 3 of the Missouri Constitution |
| Montana | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2023 | Montana Code Annotated § 13-1-125 |
| Nebraska | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Nevada | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | RCV was used for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in this state | |
| New Hampshire | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| New Jersey | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| New Mexico | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following two localities: Las Cruces and Santa Fe | New Mexico Annotated Statutes § 1-22-16 |
| New York | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following locality: New York City | |
| North Carolina | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| North Dakota | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025 | North Dakota Century Code § 16.1-01 |
| Ohio | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Oklahoma | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2024 | Oklahoma Statutes § 26-1-112 |
| Oregon | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following locality: Benton County and Corvallis. RCV is also authorized in the following two localities: Multnomah County (scheduled for use in 2026) and Portland (scheduled for use in 2024) |
|
| Pennsylvania | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Rhode Island | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| South Carolina | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | Military/UOCAVA voters use ranked ballots when voting in runoff elections | |
| South Dakota | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2023 | South Dakota Codified Laws § 12-1-9.1. |
| Tennessee | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2022, blocking its adoption in the following locality: Memphis | Tennessee Code § 2-8-117 |
| Texas | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Utah | RCV is used in the following 12 localities as of 2025: Genola, Heber, Kearns, Lehi, Magna, Midvale, Millcreek, Payson, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Vineyard, and Woodland Hills. The state adopted a pilot program allowing RCV in 2018. The program expires after the 2025 election. | Utah Code § 20A-4-603 | |
| Vermont | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is used in the following locality: Burlington | |
| Virginia | RCV authorized by state law, but not in use | All localities in Virginia have been authorized to use RCV since 2021. RCV is used for a partisan primary in the following locality: Arlington | Code of Virginia § 24.2-673.1 |
| Washington | RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities | RCV is authorized in the following locality: Seattle (scheduled for use in 2027) | |
| West Virginia | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025 | West Virginia Code § 3-1-52. |
| Wisconsin | No state laws addressing RCV, not in use for general elections | ||
| Wyoming | RCV prohibited | RCV was banned by legislation in 2025 | Wyoming Code § 22-2-117 |
2022 battleground elections[edit]
- See also: Battlegrounds
This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:
- Illinois' 17th Congressional District election, 2022 (June 28 Democratic primary)
- Michigan Attorney General election, 2022
- Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2022
- United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2022 (May 17 Republican primary)
- Wisconsin Attorney General election, 2022
See also[edit]
- United States Senate election in Alaska, 2022
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2022
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2022
- United States Senate elections, 2022
- U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2022
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Why Republicans Are Favored To Win The House, But Not The Senate," June 30, 2022
- ↑ Business Insider, "McConnell says it's 'important' for Sen. Lisa Murkowski to win reelection and defeat her Trump-backed opponent," April 7, 2022
- ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Sen. Sullivan backs Murkowski but says he hasn’t yet endorsed a candidate in Alaska’s U.S. House race," April 19, 2022
- ↑ CNN, "Manchin and Murkowski endorse each other during joint interview," accessed July 24, 2022
- ↑ Politico, "Democrats for Murkowski: Alaska Republican counts her fans across the aisle," July 18, 2022
- ↑ Forbes, "Trump Endorses Murkowski Challenger Kelly Tshibaka," June 18, 2021
- ↑ Alaska Republican Party endorses Kelly Tshibaka in the 2022 race for the US Senate seat held by Murkowski, "July 11, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey
- ↑ Buzz for Alaska, "About," accessed August 29, 2022
- ↑ Juneau Empire, "Independent candidate talks Senate bid," June 14, 2022
- ↑ Pick Sean Thorne, "SEAN THORNE ANNOUNCES U.S. SENATE CAMPAIGN AT EVENT IN WHITTIER," August 12, 2021
- ↑ Must Read Alaska,Democrat mystified: His party left him off the list of candidates," August 3, 2018
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Alaska - Senate," accessed July 25, 2022
- ↑ Business Insider, "McConnell says it's 'important' for Sen. Lisa Murkowski to win reelection and defeat her Trump-backed opponent," April 7, 2022
- ↑ Twitter, "Kelly Tshibaka," July 10, 2021
- ↑ Save America, "Endorsement of Kelly Tshibaka," June 18, 2021
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Sample Ballots," accessed July 20, 2022
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Alaska Division of Elections, "Alaska's Better Elections Initiative," accessed January 6, 2020
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center, "Where is RCV Used," accessed January 17, 2023
- ↑ Michigan is included in this category despite numerous local jurisdictions approving the use of RCV. Although Michigan does not explicitly prohibit the use of RCV, state election laws prevent the implementation of RCV. One jurisdiction in the state, Eastpointe, did use RCV between 2019-2023 as a result of federal enforcement under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The jurisdictions of Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Kalamazoo, East Lansing, and Royal Oak have all authorized the use of RCV and plan to begin using the election method if legislation providing the state's authorization is signed into law.
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