Voting for this year’s midterm elections started Monday at city halls, community centers, churches and election offices all over Alaska.
Voters will rank their favorite candidates for governor, U.S. House and Senate, and state House and Senate. They’ll also vote on a once-a-decade question about whether to hold a constitutional convention, plus whether judges on state courts should continue to hold their jobs.
[WATCH: Alaska ranked choice voting, explained]
Registered voters must bring some form of ID to the polls. That can be a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, birth certificate, military ID or a hunting or fishing license. Alternatively, voters can provide a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or a government document with their name and current address.
Kodiak offers “absentee-in-person” voting as an early voting option. Absentee in-person ballots are sent to the state’s election board for review and they’re counted after the election. Registered voters can cast their ballot absentee at the Kodiak Island Borough’s Assembly Chambers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Monday, Nov. 7.
Any Alaskan can vote by mail. Voters can apply for a mail-in ballot at AbsenteeBallotApplication.alaska.gov through this Saturday, Oct. 29. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8.
The last day to vote is Election Day, Nov. 8. Polls all over the state will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Employers are required by law to give employees time off to vote.
Voting locations are listed online at elections.alaska.gov, and the state’s official election pamphlet includes information about the candidates and instructions on how to vote. It’s available in English, Tagalog, Gwich’in, Yup’ik, Cup’ik and Cup’ig.
You can also check out a tool to compare the candidates created by KTOO, Alaska Public Media, the Anchorage Daily News and the Alaska Beacon.
KRBD’s Eric Stone contributed reporting.