It’s primary day in Alaska. This is the day when Alaskans will decide which candidates have the best judgment, character, energy and talent to represent them in the House of Representatives, the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Polls are now open and close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, Congressional candidate Nick Begich’s sign wavers gathered in the Carrs/Safeway parking lot at the corner of New Seward Highway and Northern Lights Blvd. Other candidates will also set up their sign-waving teams at major intersections, an Election Day tradition in Alaska to attract the attention of the work-going and home-going crowds of potential voters.
In Fairbanks, too, sign carriers were out and about this morning under cloudy skies.
Given the problems the Electoral Directorate has already had with the voting, with ballot papers reaching villages late and insufficient information available to the media and candidates, the Electoral Directorate, it seems, will at least not be overwhelmed by a huge voter turnout.
Voter turnout so far in early voting and absentee ballots has been higher than in 2018 and 2020, but lower than in 2022. A total of 12,534 votes were cast in the primary election from August 5-18, down from 18,296 during the same period in 2022, but this year there was a “special general” and regular primary election following the unexpected death of Congressman Don Young.
This year, there are still 9,715 mail-in ballots left that were sent to voters at their request but were not returned to the election authority.
To find out where you can vote, Check out this link at the Election Commission.
This vote is open, and all candidates are running, regardless of their party affiliation. The Democrats have behaved in a disciplined manner and have not put up more than one credible Democrat in any race. The Republicans have not done that, but only a few races will be decided in the primaries.
In races with fewer than four candidates, all four will be on the ballot in November.
Only the Congressional seat, Senate L seat for Eagle River and the 36th House District for the Department of the Interior will have a selection of candidates in this election to reach the final four. The Congressional seat is the one with the most candidates – 12, four of whom are registered Republicans.
If all goes according to past experience, the results of most elections will be known by 10 p.m. on Tuesday. The division will then not publish the numbers of late-received postal votes for seven days, and will do so again on the 10th day after the election, August 30.
Candidates selected for the November 5 general election have until September 2 to withdraw their candidacy.
