What to bring and where
In Alaska, voters are required to bring some form of identification with their name on it. Acceptable IDs include a driver’s license, state ID, voter ID card, passport, or even a hunting or fishing license.
Polling places in Kodiak include
- Kodiak Island Borough building
- Women’s Bay Fire Hall
- Harbor Master Office
- Teen Center
- Bayside Fire Hall
Village polling places include
- Old Harbor Senior Center
- Chiniak Public Library
- Ouzinkie Tribal Offices
- Port Lions Community Building
- Larsen Bay Senior Center, which serves the entire south end of the island
- Ahkiok and Karluk do not have polling places and instead have votes processed in Larsen Bay.
Sample Ballots are available online.
National Races
The most consequential race is for president of the United States. Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump are the leading candidates. They’re joined by third-party candidates Jill Stein, Randall Terry, Cornel West, Robert Kennedy Jr., Chase Oliver, and Peter Sonski.
The two leading candidates in the race for Alaska’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives are incumbent Democrat Mary Peltola, and Republican Nick Begich as. The Alaska Independence Party’s John Wayne Howe and Democrat Eric Hafner join them.
Statewide Race and Ballot Measures
Republican Louise Stutes of Kodiak is also running for reelection to represent state House District 5. She’s challenged by Libertarian Leighton Radner of Seward.
There are also two ballot measures this year.
Ballot Measure 1 includes several requirements to increase compensation for workers. Minimum wage would be increased to $15 per hour by 2027, and increase to match inflation as calculated by the consumer price index from then on. Minimum wage as of this publication is less than $11.73 per hour.
If passed, it would also mandate employers to establish sick leave policies, with a minimum of 1 hour of sick leave per 30 working hours. Businesses with 15 or more employees would be required to provide up to 56 hours of accrued sick leave. Businesses with fewer than 15 employees would only have to provide up to 40 accrued sick hours per person.
Employers would also be prohibited from requiring workers to attend religious or political meetings.
Ballot Measure 2 would repeal Alaska's ranked choice voting system. If it passes, political parties would once again control primary elections. Then, in general elections, voters would also return to picking one candidate per race from among the parties’ nominees.
Judges
Several state judges are also on the local ballot. A nonpartisan council and the governor initially select judges in Alaska for their initial terms, but voters must decide to retain them for subsequent terms.
The Alaska Judicial Council evaluates their job performance, and recommends retaining all of the judges on the ballot this year.
State Supreme Court Justices Dario Borgesan and Jennifer Henderson are up for retention votes for 10-year terms. They’re joined by Court of Appeals judges Marjorie Allard and Timothy Terrell, who would serve eight-year terms.
The Third Judicial District has four superior court judges up for retention votes: Rachel Ahrens, Bride Seifert, Herman Walker Jr., and Adolf Zeman. They would serve six-year terms.
The district court judges up for reelection include Leslie Dickson, Michael Franciosi, Patrick Hanley, Michael Logue, Kari McCrea, David Wallace, and Pamela Washington, who would all serve four-year terms.
Early Voting
Kodiak communities do not have access to early voting, however early in-person absentee voting is available. Any early votes from the archipelago won’t be counted until at least Nov. 12.
Locations include
- Kodiak Island Borough Chambers, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Larsen Bay Tribal Office, from 10 a.m. to Noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Ouzinkie Clerk’s Office, from 9 a.m. to Noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- Port Lions Clerk’s Office, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Applications for mail-in ballots close Oct. 26. Absentee ballots are counted within 15 days of the general election.
More information about candidates and ballot measures are available on the state's official election pamphlet.
