Next week, Alaskans will vote in competitive primary elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, and state legislature. In many states, primaries are the most consequential contests in determining who wins office. But thanks to election reforms approved by voters in 2020, Alaska’s primaries will instead set the stage for competitive general elections. The top four candidates in each primary – regardless of party – will advance to a ranked choice voting (RCV) general election, giving general election voters meaningful choices from across the political spectrum.

Some contests – like the governor’s race – are wide open, and could see various combinations of Republicans, Democrats, and other candidates advance to November. Other contests have clear frontrunners for the top two spots; other candidates can still compete in the general election without risk of splitting the vote or “spoiling” the race.

Read on for a preview of the governor and Senate races, and how ranked choice voting is making them better.

Alaska governor election

17 candidates are running to replace term-limited Governor Mike Dunleavy. Poll leaders include Democrats Tom Begich and Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins; Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson, and Click Bishop; and independent Bill Walker – but no one is polling above 22%. That means voters could have multiple choices from each major party and/or independents to consider in November.

If multiple candidates from each party advance, even voters who lean strongly Republican or Democratic will still have a real choice to make in November between members of their preferred party. And because of RCV, voters can rank any candidate they want without “wasting” their vote; if their first choice can’t win, their vote counts for their next choice. Whoever wins will have a majority of Alaskans behind them.

U.S. Senate election

16 candidates are running in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, with two clear frontrunners – incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan and former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola. The election is considered one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, according to the Cook Political Report.

The most extensive poll was conducted in March by Alaska Survey Research, asking voters who they would vote for in the primary and how they would rank four candidates in the general election. In the primary question, Peltola and Sullivan were the only candidates to receive above 40% of votes, while several other Republicans, Democrats, and independent or third-party candidates received between 1% and 4%.

In the general election question, Peltola earns 49% of first choices, followed by Sullivan with 44%. In the RCV count, Peltola wins 52% to 48%. A more recent Alaska Survey Research poll published this week finds Peltola winning the RCV count 51% to 49%.

Even with clear frontrunners, however, Alaska’s system leaves room for other candidates to compete in November, and Sullivan and Peltola will have an incentive to appeal to voters who ranked one of the other candidates first.

A tale of two Sullivans

Notably, Senator Dan Sullivan isn’t the only Dan Sullivan in the Senate race. Fellow Republican Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. will also appear on the primary ballot. 

In states with “choose-one” elections, having candidates with such similar names could present a problem; voters may accidentally pick the Dan Sullivan they didn’t intend, taking away votes from their preferred Dan Sullivan. Some partisans even abuse the system by running candidates with the same name. 

However, ranked choice voting addresses this issue. Any voter uncertain about the “Dan Sullivans” can simply rank both on their ballot, and their vote will count for the stronger option.

Relatedly, Super PAC efforts on both sides to boost minor candidates and “siphon” votes from Peltola and Sullivan are likely to have limited success. These tactics are common across the country, but RCV addresses them head-on – voters ranking a lower-performing candidate first in November can simply rank their preferred frontrunner as a backup choice. Notably, Alaska voters ranking a third-party or independent candidate first have been the most likely to rank backup choices.

More competition in Alaska general elections

In addition to the statewide races, the Alaska system generates real competition for state legislative seats. Even in districts where one party is heavily favored in November, the general election may feature competition between members of the dominant party. 

Whatever the state of a given race, Alaskans can vote honestly for the candidates they like most. These dynamics give Alaskans something voters in many states do not have: a meaningful choice in November, when turnout is typically highest.

Alaska has historically had an independent-minded electorate, so candidates from across the political spectrum could perform well in the Last Frontier. This was the case in 2022, the last time the governor, Senate, and House races appeared on the same ballot: Alaskans elected a conservative Republican governor, moderate Republican senator, and a moderate Democratic representative. 

Between the three competitive statewide elections and their innovative approach to electing leaders, Alaska voters have an uncommon opportunity to make their voices heard at every stage of the 2026 election. 

Check out additional analysis of what to expect in Alaska’s primary on August 18.