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Alaska gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 21 Democratic primary)

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2018
Primary: August 21, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Bill Walker (Independent)
Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Alaska
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Tilt Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Alaska
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor

A Democratic Party primary election took place on August 21, 2018, in Alaska to determine which candidate would run as the party's nominee in the state's November 6, 2018, gubernatorial election.


SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the election, the governor was Bill Walker (I). He was first elected in 2014. Walker filed to run for re-election on August 21, 2017.
  • At the time of the 2018 election, Alaska was a divided government. It first gained this status when Walker took office in 2015. Alaska was a Democratic triplex in 2018.
  • The Republican presidential candidate won Alaska in each of the five elections leading up to the 2018 election. The narrowest margin of victory was Mitt Romney's 14 percent margin in 2012 while the widest was George W. Bush's 31 percent margin in 2000.

    • Alaska was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

    Candidates and election results

    Mark Begich advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Alaska on August 21, 2018.

    Democratic primary election
    Democratic primary for Governor of Alaska

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    ✔
    Image of Mark Begich
    		Mark Begich
     
    100.0
     
    		33,451

    There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

    		Total votes: 33,451
    Candidate Connection = 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.

    Context of the 2018 election

    Noteworthy events

    Democratic primary election lawsuit

    On October 19, 2017, Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip M. Pallenberg ruled in favor of the Alaska Democratic Party in a lawsuit challenging the state's laws governing primary elections. The party took issue with a provision in state law prohibiting independent candidates from participating in partisan primaries. Lawyers for the state of Alaska argued that allowing independent candidates to stand in partisan primaries had the potential to confuse voters and threaten the stability of the state's political climate. Judge Pallenberg found in his decision that political parties had the right to associate themselves with the candidate of their choice, citing rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.[1]

    Past elections

    2014

    See also: Alaska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

    In the 2014 Democratic primary, Byron Mallott defeated Phil Stoddard by a 50.3 percent margin.[2]

    Governor of Alaska Democratic-Libertarian-Independence Primary, 2014
    Candidate Vote % Votes
    Green check mark transparent.pngByron Mallott (Democratic) 66.9% 42,327
    Phil Stoddard (Democratic) 16.6% 10,514
    Green check mark transparent.pngCarolyn "Care" Clift (Libertarian) 16.5% 10,436
    Total Votes 63,277
    Election results via Alaska Division of Elections.


    Voter information

    How the primary works

    Alaska uses a top-four primary for congressional and state-level offices. Under Alaska's top-four primary system, all candidates for a given office run in a single primary election. The top four vote-getters, regardless of partisan affiliation, then advance to the general election.[3][4]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Alaska, polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. Alaska is divided between the Alaska time zone and the Hawaii-Aleutian time zone. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[5][6]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    To register to vote in Alaska, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Alaska, and at least 18 years of age or within 90 days of their 18th birthday. An individual convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude may not register to vote until their voting rights have been restored. If registered to vote in another state, applicants must be willing to cancel that registration in order to vote in Alaska. To vote in Alaska, registered voters must be at least 18 years old and have been a resident of the state and election district for at least 30 days.[7]

    Prospective voters can register online, with a paper form, or in person at a Division of Elections Office or a voter registration agency.[8] The deadline to register or make changes to a registration is 30 days before an election.[9]

    If submitting an application form by mail, fax, or email, the applicant must provide one of the following forms of identification either with his or her application or when voting for the first time:[9]

    “
    • Current and valid photo identification
    • Driver’s license
    • Passport
    • State identification card
    • Birth certificate
    • Hunting and Fishing license.[10]
    		 ”

    Automatic registration

    Alaska automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they apply for a Permanent Fund Dividend, unless they opt out.[11]

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Alaska has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

    Same-day registration

    Alaska allows same-day voter registration in presidential election years, but voters who do so can vote only for the offices of president and vice president.[12]

    Residency requirements

    Alaska law requires 30 days of residency in the state and election district before a person may vote.[13]

    According to the Division of Elections' website, "you are considered an Alaska resident if you reside in the state and intend to remain a resident or, if you temporarily leave the state, you have intention to return (Active military members, spouses or dependents are exempt from the intent to return requirement)."[7]

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    Alaska does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[14] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    The site My Voter Information, run by the Alaska Department of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

    Voter ID requirements

    Alaska requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting.[15][16]

    The following were accepted forms of identification as of July 2024. Click here for the Alaska Division of Elections' page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

    • Voter ID card
    • Driver’s license
    • State ID
    • Other photo ID
    • Passport
    • Hunting or fishing license
    • If you do not have the one of the identifications listed above, you may present a current utility bill or paycheck, government check or bank statement or other government issued document. These documents must have your current residence address.[16]

    Early voting

    Alaska permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

    Absentee voting

    All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Alaska. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.[17]

    If a voter is already registered to vote, an absentee ballot application must be received by elections officials at least 10 days prior to the election. If a voter has not yet registered to vote, or needs to update voter registration information, an absentee/mail-in ballot application must be received at least 30 days before the election.[17]


    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Alaska heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    State legislature

    • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Alaska State Legislature. They had a 23-16 majority in the state House and a 14-6 majority in the state Senate.

    Trifecta status

    • Alaska was under divided government, meaning that one party did not control the state government. Bill Walker (I) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.

    2018 elections

    See also: Alaska elections, 2018

    Alaska held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for Alaska
     AlaskaU.S.
    Total population:737,709316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):570,6413,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:66%73.6%
    Black/African American:3.4%12.6%
    Asian:5.9%5.1%
    Native American:13.8%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:1.2%0.2%
    Two or more:8.4%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:6.5%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:92.1%86.7%
    College graduation rate:28%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$72,515$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:11.3%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Alaska.
    **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.

    As of July 2016, Alaska's three largest cities were Anchorage (pop. est. 294,000), Juneau (pop. est. 32,000), and Fairbanks (pop. est. 32,000).[18]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Alaska from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Alaska Division of Elections.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Alaska every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), Alaska 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 51% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 37% 14%
    2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 55% Democratic Party Barack Obama 41% 14%
    2008 Republican Party John McCain 59% Democratic Party Barack Obama 38% 21%
    2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 61% Democratic Party John Kerry 36% 25%
    2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 59% Democratic Party Al Gore 28% 31%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Alaska from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), Alaska 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Lisa Murkowski 44% Libertarian Party Joe Miller 29% 15%
    2014 Republican Party Dan Sullivan 48% Democratic Party Mark Begich 46% 2%
    2010 Grey.png Lisa Murkowski 39% Republican Party Joe Miller 35% 4%
    2008 Democratic Party Mark Begich 48% Republican Party Ted Stevens 47% 1%
    2004 Republican Party Lisa Murkowski 49% Democratic Party Tony Knowles 46% 3%
    2002 Republican Party Ted Stevens 78% Democratic Party Frank Vondersaar 11% 67%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Alaska.

    Election results (Governor), Alaska 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Grey.png Bill Walker 48% Republican Party Sean Parnell 46% 2%
    2010 Republican Party Sean Parnell 59% Democratic Party Ethan Berkowitz 38% 21%
    2006 Republican Party Sarah Palin 48% Democratic Party Tony Knowles 41% 7%
    2002 Republican Party Frank Murkowski 56% Democratic Party Fran Ulmer 41% 15%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Alaska in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, Alaska 2000-2016
    Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
    2016 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2014 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2012 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2010 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2008 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2006 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2004 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2002 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1
    2000 Republican Party 1 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+1

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    Alaska Party Control: 1992-2025
    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 23 24 25
    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 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 S S S
    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 S S S


    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states. No counties in Alaska are Pivot Counties.

    In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Alaska with 51.3 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 36.6 percent. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received 5.9 percent, which was his third-best showing in a state in 2016.[19] From when it gained statehood in 1959 to 2017, Alaska voted Republican in 14 out of 15 presidential elections. The only time it voted Democratic was in 1964 when President Lyndon Johnson (D) defeated Senator Barry Goldwater (R) with 61.1 percent of the national vote.[20] From 1960 to 2016, Alaska voted for the winning presidential candidate in 60 percent of presidential elections.

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Alaska. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[21][22]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 13 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 20.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 13 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 17.3 points.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 27 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 27 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 27.4 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alaska governor Democratic primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    Alaska gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 21 Democratic primary) - Google News

    See also

    Alaska government:

    Elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Governing, "Court: Independent Alaska Governor Can Run in Democratic Primary," October 19, 2017
    2. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "2014 Primary Election - Official Results," September 3, 2014
    3. ↑ NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 15, 2024
    4. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "August 18, 2020 Primary Election Information," accessed July 15, 2024
    5. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Polling Place Hours," accessed July 15, 2024
    6. ↑ Find Law, "Alaska Statutes Title 15. Elections 15.15.320. Voters in line when polls close," accessed July 15, 2024
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Alaska Division of Elections, "Who Can Register And Who Can Vote?" accessed July 15, 2024
    8. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Register to Vote or Update Your Voter Registration," accessed July 15, 2024
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Alaska Division of Elections, "State of Alaska Voter Registration Application," accessed July 15, 2024
    10. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    11. ↑ Alaska Department of Revenue, “Automatic voter registration,” accessed July 15, 2024
    12. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Presidential Elections," accessed July 15, 2024
    13. ↑ Alaska Department of Revenue, “Automatic voter registration,” accessed March 1, 2023
    14. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    15. ↑ Alaska State Legislature, "Alaska Statutes 2018 Sec. 15.15.225 Voter identification at polls," accessed July 15, 2024
    16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Alaska Division of Elections, "Voting at the Polling Place Election Day," accessed July 15, 2024
    17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Alaska Division of Elections, “Absentee and Early Voting,” accessed July 15, 2024
    18. ↑ Alaska Demographics, "Alaska Cities by Population," accessed August 31, 2018
    19. ↑ Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, "2016 Presidential General Election Data - National," accessed May 31, 2017
    20. ↑ 270towin.com, "Historical Presidential Elections," accessed May 31, 2017
    21. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
    22. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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