Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage | | As we approach the General Election, we are sharing information to help Alaskans understand the voting process and what to expect when you cast your ballot. Our goal is to provide helpful information and resources so that every Alaskan can feel confident and informed when we vote. | | |
Election Series
Absentee Voting
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If you cannot or do not want to go to your polling place to vote on Election Day, the following options are available.
Voting at an Absentee Voting Site
Beginning October 19, 2026, you may vote at an absentee voting site. Ballots for all 40 districts are available at designated voting locations. In addition, there are other voting sites throughout Alaska that will have ballots for the community’s house district. For more information or for a list of absentee voting locations visit the Division of Elections website or contact a Regional Elections office.
Voting By-Mail or Electronic Transmission
To vote by-mail or electronic transmission, you must submit an application.
Receiving a Ballot By-Mail
You must complete an absentee ballot application to receive a ballot in the mail. Your application MUST be received by October 24, 2026, to receive a ballot for the General Election. Apply early to ensure timely delivery of your ballot. When returning your voted ballot, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day.
To make sure your mailed-in ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day, please go into the Post Office and have the postal worker hand-stamp the postmark date on the ballot envelope.
Receiving a Ballot By Electronic Transmission
There are two ways to vote by electronic transmission. You may apply for a ballot to be sent to you by FAX or online delivery. For the General Election, you may apply between the dates of Monday, October 19, 2026 through 5:00pm Alaska Time on Monday, November 2, 2026. You may only return your voted ballot by mail or by fax. If you return your voted ballot by fax, it must be received no later than 8:00pm Alaska time on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. If you return your voted ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day.
And has stated above, if you vote by mail, please go into the Post Office and have the postal worker hand-stamp the postmark date on the ballot envelope.
Applications
Voters are encouraged to apply paperless using the division’s online absentee ballot application system, https://absenteeballotapplication.alaska.gov/. It saves time, paper and postage!
If you have questions about voting by mail or electronic transmission, please contact the Absentee Office at (907) 270-2700 or Toll Free 1-877-375-6508.
| | What to Expect on your Ballot | |
Official Election Pamphlet
The Division of Elections publishes an Official Election Pamphlet (OFP) by region for the general election that you may have received in the mail. This publication contains voting information as well as information on each candidate race, ballot measure, and judicial retention elections. To access an electronic version of the Region II (Anchorage and Whittier) pamphlet, click here.
Sample Ballots
The Division of Elections posts sample ballots on their website so voters can view their district's ballot ahead of time and know what to expect. Each ballot is one page, front-and-back. This year for West Anchorage voters in Senate District H, there are four races, two ballot measures, and 13 judicial retention elections on every ballot:
- United States Senator
- United States Representative
- Governor/Lt. Governor
- State Representative (specific to House District 15 or 16)
- Ballot Measure 2
- Ballot Measure 3
- Judicial Retention Elections (13)
Ten other state Senate districts will vote for a State Senator this year. The next election for Senate District H (West Anchorage) is in 2028.
Below are the sample ballots for House Districts 15 and 16. For all other districts, click here.
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Sample Ballot - House District 15
Click here to access the HD15 sample ballot on the Division of Elections website.
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Sample Ballot - House District 16
Click here to access the HD16 sample ballot on the Division of Elections website.
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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 opened on 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 tomorrow, 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
| | Update on Voter Registration List Privacy | |
In March, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a joint hearing with the Senate State Affairs Committee to learn about the release of confidential voter information to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In 2025, the DOJ sent a request for voter roll information to all fifty states. 29 states and the District of Columbia refused to provide confidential information to the DOJ, and the DOJ brought lawsuits against those states. In December 2025, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom and Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher sent an unredacted list of every registered Alaska voter to the federal government, roughly 550,000 people. The released information included dates of birth, home addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial social security numbers. Much of the released information is confidential under Alaska law.
On April 21, 2026, the ACLU filed suit in Alaska Superior Court on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Alaska, the Alaska Black Caucus, and the Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG). They argue that the Division and Lt. Governor violated the Alaska Constitution when they handed over sensitive voter data without privacy protections and agreed to remove voters from the Alaska voter rolls within 45 days if requested by the DOJ. They further argue that the DOJ intends to build an unauthorized national voter database for criminal and immigration investigations.
The State filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in September and their attorneys argued that the plaintiffs lacked standing, the case wasn't “ripe” because the Division of Elections had not removed any voters from the rolls, and sharing the confidential data wouldn't harm Alaskans. But last week, Alaska Superior Court Judge Adolf Zeman ruled that the privacy claims have sufficient merit to move forward to full discovery and fact-finding, denying the State's motion to dismiss. To learn more, read the Alaska Beacon article here.
| Absentee In-Person and Early Voting is Open | | |
→ 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.
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→ Trick or Treat Street
When: October 31st from 12:00 to 4:00 PM
Where: West 4th Ave from C to F Street
Cost: Free
This free event is open to everyone and features business-to-business trick-or-treating, a spooky log cabin, a haunted trolley, a zombus and horse-drawn wagon rides. Enjoy vintage car trunk-or-treating, a photo booth, a bounce house, food trucks and music by DJ Spencer Lee. Catch Studio Pulse Center for Dance’s hip-hop performance at 1:30 p.m., then show off your costume in contests beginning at 2 p.m.—including one for your pooch! Attendees can also enter to win four glacier cruise tickets courtesy of Phillips Cruises & Tours. Bring your friends, family and Halloween spirit for an afternoon of spooky fun! For more information, click here.
| Last year's table with Rep. Hall at Fish Creek Trick-or-Treat. | |
→ 8th Annual Fish Creek Trick or Treat
When: October 31st from 4:00 to 6:30 PM
Where: Kiwanis Fish Creek Trail
Cost: Free
Join Representative Carolyn Hall and me on the Fish Creek Trail this Halloween!
The Spenard Community Council, Anchorage Park Foundation, and Neighbor Works Alaska invite trick or treaters of all ages to join the fun along Fish Creek Trail! Stations go from Barbara Street Park, through Woodland Park, along the trail all the way to Kiwanis Fish Creek Park. Come in costume, play games, get treats, and enjoy all the fun! For more information, click here.
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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