Alaska voters head to the polls Aug. 18 for one of the final primary elections before the November midterm elections, with competitive races for the Senate, House, and governor drawing national attention.
Here’s what to know before election day:
Senate: A key race for control of the chamber
The Senate race is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Democrats are targeting Trump-endorsed Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) as they seek the four seats needed to reclaim the Senate majority.
Former Rep. Mary Peltola, who lost her House reelection bid in 2024, is the leading Democratic candidate and is expected to advance to the November election.
A July New York Times-Siena College poll showed Sullivan narrowly leading Peltola, 47% to 45%, putting the race within the margin of error.
The Cook Political Report has moved the race into its “toss up” category, calling the shift significant to the broader battle for Senate control.
The two Dan Sullivans
The race has attracted additional attention because two candidates named Dan Sullivan are running for the Senate.
Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher from Petersburg, is challenging the incumbent as a Republican. He has said he entered the race because of his dissatisfaction with the sitting senator who shares his name.
“As I look around Petersburg, as I look around Alaska, maybe even the country, I don’t see great strides forward,” he said recently. “In fact, I see a decline, and so I’m using this as a way to voice that.”
Republicans have accused Sullivan Jr. of being recruited to confuse voters and hurt the incumbent. Alaska election officials initially determined that his candidacy was not filed in good faith, but a court later restored him to the ballot.
The Alaska Division of Elections lists the challenger as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” and the incumbent as “Dan S. Sullivan,” with the incumbent designation appearing next to the senator’s name.
House: Begich faces a crowded field
With Peltola running for Senate, Republicans are defending Alaska’s lone House seat, currently held by freshman Rep. Nick Begich III (R-AK), who has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Fifteen candidates are running for the seat, including independent Bill Hill, an Alaska Native educator, former school superintendent, and commercial fisherman from Bristol Bay.
Hill has emerged as Begich’s most prominent possible challenger after Democrat Matt Schultz withdrew from the race in July.
A recent poll commissioned by Hill’s campaign showed him within the margin of error of Begich, although Hill has substantially lower name recognition. The poll found 34% of voters had an opinion of Hill compared to nearly 85% for Begich.
Governor: Wide-open Republican field
The governor’s race is wide open because Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
Seventeen candidates initially filed for the office, including 11 Republicans, three Democrats, and three independents. Only four will advance to November.
Former state Sen. Tom Begich and former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins are competing for the Democratic nomination, while Republicans include former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, businesswoman Bernadette Wilson, former state Sen. Shelley Hughes, and former Attorney General Treg Taylor.
TRUMP ENDORSEMENT TRACKER: HERE’S WHO THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED IN GOP MIDTERM ELECTION PRIMARIES
With so many Republicans running, it’s possible they could split their support among several candidates, allowing two Democrats to advance to the general election.
How Alaska’s primary works
Alaska does not hold traditional party primaries for its major offices. Instead, all candidates appear on a single, nonpartisan primary ballot. Voters select one candidate, and the top four vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation.
The November election uses ranked-choice voting. Voters rank the four candidates in order of preference, and candidates are eliminated in successive rounds until one receives a majority.