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Voting in your state

Voting in Alaska, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting is open in Alaska through Tuesday, November 3.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

  1. Sun, Oct 4 · passed
    Registration deadline
    Register by Sunday October 4, 2026, 30 days before Election Day.1
  2. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Early voting begins
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
    Election Day; Early voting ends
    Early voting runs from Monday October 19 through Election Day, with hours that vary by location.1
  4. Wed, Nov 4 · 8 days
    County/Local canvass; County/Local certification
    The local count is reviewed beginning the day after the election, November 4.2
  5. Fri, Nov 13 · 17 days
    Mail ballots must arrive
    Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Friday November 13, 2026, or by November 18 if mailed from outside the U.S.1
  6. After certification
    Deadline to contest the result
    A contest must be brought in superior court within 10 days after the state finishes its review of the count.3

Questions people ask about voting in Alaska

Q. When does early voting end in Alaska?

Early voting runs from Monday October 19 through Election Day, with hours that vary by location.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Alaska?

Register by Sunday October 4, 2026, 30 days before Election Day.

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Alaska?

Applications for a ballot by mail must be received by Saturday October 24, 2026, and online applications for a ballot delivered electronically by 5 p.m. on Monday November 2, 2026.

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Alaska?

Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Friday November 13, 2026, or by November 18 if mailed from outside the U.S.

Q. Who certifies the election in Alaska, and by when?

Election boards certify their returns no later than the day after the election and the Director of Elections certifies the results after the state ballot counting review County/Local results must be certified by Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Day after the election. The Director of Elections, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, certifies the winners after the State Ballot Counting Review Board, four members the Director appoints from party nominees, tallies the ballots Upon completion of the state ballot counting review (Alaska Stat. § 15.15.450).

Q. What happens after the count in Alaska, and when is there a recount?

A defeated candidate or 10 voters may apply for a recount within 5 days after the state review of the count, or within 3 days for the race for governor.

Q. How long is there to contest an election in Alaska?

A contest must be brought in superior court within 10 days after the state finishes its review of the count.

Explore this issue

OverviewVoting in your state In depthVoting in Alabama, 2026

Sources

  1. Vote.org, Alaska Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/alaska/
  2. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
  3. NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
  4. NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
  5. boltsmag.org, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  6. NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines

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