The short version
Alaska uses a nonpartisan top-four primary: all candidates appear on one August ballot regardless of party, and the top four advance to a ranked-choice general election. You get on the ballot by filing a Declaration of Candidacy and paying the filing fee.
- Offices you can run for
- Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide (Governor and Lieutenant Governor); the Alaska Legislature; and borough and city offices.
- How to get on the ballot
- File a Declaration of Candidacy and the filing fee simultaneously by the deadline — $30 for the state legislature and $100 for U.S. Senate or House — and file a financial disclosure. Candidates not representing a political party can instead qualify by nominating petition signed by qualified voters equal to at least 1% of the votes cast in the last general election.
- Who runs candidate filing
- Alaska Division of Elections
This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office — the official Alaska resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.
Official Alaska candidate resources
Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle.
Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.
Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. Alaska is fully available — see how to get your voter file.
Talk to us about your Alaska race
Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors" — voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.