Notice of withdrawal of candidacy must be in writing over the signature of the candidate.
The primary election is held on the fourth Tuesday in August of every even-numbered year.
Repealed or Renumbered
Candidates not representing a political party are nominated by petition.
The director shall place the names and the political group affiliation of persons who have been properly nominated by petition on the general election ballot.
Repealed or Renumbered
The director shall place the name of the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office by a political party on the general election ballot.
Repealed or Renumbered
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Article 02. NOMINATIONS BY PETITION
A candidate's name must appear on the primary election ballot unless notice of the withdrawal from the primary is received by the director at least 48 days before the date of the primary election.
A voter may not vote for a person whose name is not on the ballot. Votes cast for a person whose name is not on the ballot may not be counted, but writing in a candidate's name does not invalidate the entire ballot.
If a candidate nominated by petition dies or withdraws after the petition has been filed and 48 days or more before the general election, the director may not place the name of the candidate on the general election ballot.
Party petitions for the nomination of candidates shall state in substance that the political party desires and intends to support the named candidate for the named office and requests that the name of the proposed candidate be placed on the general election ballot. The petition may be filed no later than 48 days before the date of the general election.
Petitions for the nomination of candidates for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, United States senator, and United States representative shall be signed by qualified voters of the state equal in number to at least one percent of the number of voters who cast ballots in the preceding general election.
Petitions for the nomination of candidates for the office of state senator or state representative shall be signed by qualified voters of the house or senate district in which the proposed nominee desires to be a candidate equal in number to at least one percent of the number of voters who cast ballots in the proposed nominee's respective house or senate district in the preceding general election. A nominating petition may not contain less than 50 signatures for any district.
The provisions of AS 15.25.042 and 15.25.043 apply to determinations of a candidate's eligibility when a candidate seeks nomination by petition under AS 15.25.140 - 15.25.200.
(a) At the time the declaration is filed, each candidate shall pay a nonrefundable filing fee to the director. The filing fee for candidates for office of governor, lieutenant governor, United States senator, and United States representative is $100. The filing fee for candidates for office of state senator and state representative is $30.
(b) An indigent person as defined by regulations adopted under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) may file a statement of indigency in the form prescribed by regulation in place of the filing fee required by this section.
Unless specifically provided otherwise, all provisions regarding the conduct of the general election shall govern the conduct of the primary election, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning voter qualification; provisions regarding the duties, powers, rights, and obligations of the director, of other election officials, and of cities and organized boroughs; provision for notification of the election; provisions regarding payment of election expenses; provisions regarding employees being allowed time from work to vote; provisions for the counting, review, and certification of returns; provisions for the determination of tie votes and of recount, contests, and appeal; and provisions for absentee voting.
(a) If the director receives a complaint regarding the eligibility of a candidate for a particular office, the director shall determine eligibility under regulations adopted by the director. The director shall determine the eligibility of the candidate within 30 days of the receipt of the complaint.
(b) Except as provided in (c) of this section, the director shall determine the eligibility of the candidate by a preponderance of the evidence.
(c) If a candidate for the legislature has been registered to vote at any time during the 12 months preceding the filing of the declaration of candidacy in a district other than the district in which the declaration of candidacy has been filed, the director may not determine that a candidate is eligible except under a standard of clear and convincing evidence.
(d) A person may not be a resident of two districts at the same time.
Candidates for the elective state executive and state and national legislative offices shall be nominated in a primary election by direct vote of the people in the manner prescribed by this chapter. The director shall prepare and provide a primary election ballot for each political party. A voter registered as affiliated with a political party may vote that party's ballot. A voter registered as nonpartisan or undeclared rather than as affiliated with a particular political party may vote the political party ballot of the voter's choice unless prohibited from doing so under AS 15.25.014 . A voter registered as affiliated with a political party may not vote the ballot of a different political party unless permitted to do so under AS 15.25.014 .
The nominees of political parties by party petition may be selected for statewide offices by the state party central committee or in any other manner prescribed by the party bylaws, and the petition for statewide offices shall be signed by the state chairperson of the political party or, in the absence of the state chairperson, by any two members of the state party central committee. The nominees of political parties by party petition may be selected for district-wide offices by the respective party district committee or in any other manner prescribed by the party bylaws, and the petition for district-wide offices shall be signed by the chairperson of the party district committee, or in the absence of the chairperson, by any two members of the party district committee, or in any other manner prescribed by the party bylaws. The petition may be delivered in person, or by mail, telegraph, facsimile, or other reliable electronic transmission.
If a candidate of a political party nominated at the primary election dies, withdraws, resigns, becomes disqualified from holding the office for which the candidate is nominated, or is certified as being incapacitated in the manner prescribed by this section after the primary election and 48 days or more before the general election, the vacancy may be filled by party petition. The central committee of any political party or any party district committee may certify as being incapacitated any candidate nominated by their respective party by presenting to the director a sworn statement made by a panel of three licensed physicians, not more than two of whom may be of the same political party, that the candidate is physically or mentally incapacitated to an extent that would in the panel's judgment prevent the candidate from active service during the term of office if elected. The director shall place the name of the person nominated by party petition on the general election ballot. The name of a candidate disqualified under this section may not appear on the general election ballot.
In determining the residence within a house district of a qualified voter for the purposes of compliance with art. II, sec. 2 of the Alaska Constitution, the director shall apply the rules established in AS 15.05.020 together with the following rules:
(1) a person establishes residence within a house district
(A) by actual physical presence at a specific location within the district; and
(B) by maintaining a habitation at the specific location;
(2) a person may maintain a place of residence at a specific location within a district while away from the location for purposes of employment, education, military service, or vacation if the person does not establish residency at another location; and
(3) a qualified voter loses residence by voting in another house district or in another state's elections.
A candidate seeking nomination by petition shall submit the information required under AS 15.25.180 (a)(1) - (8) and (11) - (17) to the director in the time and manner specified in AS 15.25.040 . The full petition with voter signatures shall be filed with the director by actual physical delivery in person at or before 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the day of the primary election in the year in which a general election is held for the office, or by actual physical delivery to the director by registered or certified mail return receipt requested which is postmarked at or before 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on the day of the primary election in the year in which a general election is held for the office, and received not more than 15 days after that time. If the postmark is illegible, a dated receipt from the post office where dispatched shall be acceptable as evidence of mailing.
(a) The primary election ballots shall be prepared and distributed by the director in the manner prescribed in this section. The director shall prepare and provide a primary election ballot for each political party that contains all of the candidates of that party for elective state executive and state and national legislative offices and all of the ballot titles and propositions required to appear on the ballot at the primary election. The director shall print the ballots on white paper and place the names of all candidates who have properly filed in groups according to offices. The order of the placement of the names for each office shall be as provided for the general election ballot. Blank spaces may not be provided on the ballot for the writing or pasting in of names. The director shall also prepare and print a separate primary election ballot including only the ballot titles and propositions required to appear on the ballot.
(b) A voter may vote only one primary election ballot. A voter may vote a political party ballot only if the voter is registered as affiliated with that party, is allowed to participate in the party primary under the party's bylaws, or is registered as nonpartisan or undeclared rather than as affiliated with a particular political party and the party's bylaws do not restrict participation by nonpartisan or undeclared voters in the party's primary. For the purpose of determining which primary election ballot a voter may use, a voter's party affiliation is considered to be the affiliation registered with the director as of the 30th day before the primary election. If a voter changes party affiliation within the 30 days before the primary election, the voter's previous party affiliation shall be used for the determination under this subsection.
(a) The declaration is filed by either
(1) the actual physical delivery of the declaration in person or by mail at or before 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, June 1 of the year in which a general election is held for the office; or
(2) reliable electronic transmission of a copy in substance of the statements made in paragraphs (1) - (5) of the declaration as required by AS 15.25.030 (a) at or before 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, June 1 of the year in which a general election is held for the office and also the actual physical delivery of the declaration containing paragraphs (1) - (16) as required by AS 15.25.030 (a) by mail that is received not more than 15 days after that time.
(b) If the postmark is illegible, a dated receipt from the post office where dispatched shall be acceptable as evidence of mailing. If June 1 is a Sunday or holiday, the deadlines for postmarking and receipt of the declaration shall be extended 24 hours in each instance.
(c) A candidate for a statewide office or a candidate for a district-wide office shall file either with the director or an election supervisor. If the candidate files the declaration with an election supervisor, the election supervisor shall immediately forward the declaration to the director.
(d) If the declaration filed under (a) of this section is not received within seven calendar days, the candidate shall be notified of nonreceipt. The candidate shall have the opportunity to refile the declaration with proof that a previous declaration has been filed in a timely manner and in accordance with law.
(a) Not later than 5:00 p.m., Alaska time, on September 1 of the calendar year before the calendar year in which a primary election is to be held, a political party shall submit a notice in writing to the director stating whether the party bylaws expand or limit who may participate in the primary election for selection of the party's candidates for elective state executive and state and national legislative offices. A copy of the party's bylaws expanding or limiting who may participate in the primary election for selection of the party's candidates, documentation required under (b) of this section, and other information required by the director, must be submitted along with the notice. The notice, bylaws, documentation, and other information required by the director shall be provided by the party's chairperson or another party official designated by the party's bylaws.
(b) Once a political party timely submits a notice and bylaws under (a) of this section and the director finds that the party has met the requirements of this chapter and other applicable laws, the director shall permit a voter registered as affiliated with another party to vote the party's ballot if the voter is permitted by the party's bylaws to participate in the selection of the party's candidates and may not permit a voter registered as nonpartisan or undeclared to vote a party's ballot if the party's bylaws restrict participation by nonpartisan or undeclared voters in the party's primary. However, for a subsequent primary election, the party shall timely submit another notice, bylaws, documentation, and other information under (a) of this section if the party's bylaws regarding who may participate in the primary election for selection of the party's candidates change.
(c) Party bylaws required to be submitted under (a) of this section must be precleared by the United States Department of Justice under 42 U.S.C. 1973c (sec. 5, Voting Rights Act of 1965) before submission. Documentation of the preclearance must accompany the bylaws submitted under (a) of this section.
(a) If an unopposed incumbent candidate for renomination dies, becomes disqualified from holding the office the candidate is seeking, or is certified as being incapacitated between June 1 of the election year and that date which is more than 50 days before the date of the primary election, the candidate's place on the ballot may be filled by party petition. The petition shall state that the political party requests the name of the proposed candidate replace that of the incumbent on the primary election ballot and shall be accompanied by a declaration of candidacy from the person named in the petition. The petition must be received by the director no later than 14 days after the death, disqualification, or certification of incapacity of the incumbent or 48 days before the primary election date, whichever time is earlier.
(b) The method for certifying an incumbent candidate for nomination as being incapacitated, the method for selecting the person who is to be named in the party petition, and the method for placing the name of the person selected on the primary nomination ballot are the same as those prescribed in AS 15.25.110 and 15.25.130 relating to filling vacancies of party nominees in a general election.
(c) The death, disqualification, or certification of incapacity of the incumbent within 48 days before or on the primary election date does not affect the counting and review of the ballots. If the result of the counting and review discloses that the candidate, if the candidate had lived, would have been nominated, the candidate shall be declared nominated. The vacancy may be filled by party petition as provided in AS 15.25.110 - 15.25.130.
(a) If a candidate does not appear on the primary election ballot or is not successful in advancing to the general election and wishes to be a candidate in the general election, the candidate may file as a write-in candidate. Votes for a write-in candidate may not be counted unless that candidate has filed a letter of intent with the director stating
(1) the full name of the candidate;
(2) the full residence address of the candidate and the date on which residency at that address began;
(3) the full mailing address of the candidate;
(4) the name of the political party or political group of which the candidate is a member, if any;
(5) if the candidate is for the office of state senator or state representative, the house or senate district of which the candidate is a resident;
(6) the office that the candidate seeks;
(7) the date of the election at which the candidate seeks election;
(8) the length of residency in the state and in the house district of the candidate;
(9) the name of the candidate as the candidate wishes it to be written on the ballot by the voter;
(10) that the candidate meets the specific citizenship requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate;
(11) that the candidate will meet the specific age requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate by the time that the candidate, if elected, is sworn into office;
(12) that the candidate is a qualified voter as required by law; and
(13) that the candidate is not a candidate for any other office to be voted on at the general election and that the candidate is not a candidate for this office under any other nominating petition or declaration of candidacy.
(b) If a write-in candidate is running for the office of governor, the candidate must file a joint letter of intent together with a candidate for lieutenant governor. Both candidates must be of the same political party or group.
(c) A letter of intent under (a) of this section must be filed not later than five days before the general election.
(a) A member of a political party who seeks to become a candidate of the party in the primary election shall execute and file a declaration of candidacy. The declaration shall be executed under oath before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments and must state in substance
(1) the full name of the candidate;
(2) the full mailing address of the candidate;
(3) if the candidacy is for the office of state senator or state representative, the house or senate district of which the candidate is a resident;
(4) the office for which the candidate seeks nomination;
(5) the name of the political party of which the person is a candidate for nomination;
(6) the full residence address of the candidate, and the date on which residency at that address began;
(7) the date of the primary election at which the candidate seeks nomination;
(8) the length of residency in the state and in the district of the candidate;
(9) that the candidate will meet the specific citizenship requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate;
(10) that the candidate is a qualified voter as required by law;
(11) that the candidate will meet the specific age requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate;
(12) that the candidate requests that the candidate's name be placed on the primary election ballot;
(13) that the required fee accompanies the declaration;
(14) that the person is not a candidate for any other office to be voted on at the primary or general election and that the person is not a candidate for this office under any other declaration of candidacy or nominating petition;
(15) the manner in which the candidate wishes the candidate's name to appear on the ballot; and
(16) that the candidate is registered to vote as a member of the political party whose nomination is being sought.
(b) A person filing a declaration of candidacy under this section, other than a person subject to AS 24.60 who is filing a declaration for a state legislative office, shall simultaneously file with the director a statement of income sources and business interests that complies with the requirements of AS 39.50. A person who is subject to AS 24.60 and is filing a declaration of candidacy for state legislative office shall simultaneously file with the director a disclosure statement that complies with the requirements of AS 24.60.200 .
(c) An incumbent public official, other than a legislator, who has a current statement of income sources and business interests under AS 39.50 on file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, or an incumbent legislator who has a current disclosure statement under AS 24.60.200 on file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, is not required to file a statement of income sources and business interests or a disclosure statement with the declaration of candidacy under (b) of this section.
(a) The petition must state in substance
(1) the full name of the candidate;
(2) the full residence address of the candidate and the date on which residency at that address began;
(3) the full mailing address of the candidate;
(4) the name of the political group, if any, supporting the candidate;
(5) if the candidacy is for the office of state senator or state representative, the house or senate district of which the candidate is a resident;
(6) the office for which the candidate is nominated;
(7) the date of the election at which the candidate seeks election;
(8) the length of residency in the state and in the district of the candidate;
(9) that the subscribers are qualified voters of the state or house or senate district in which the candidate resides;
(10) that the subscribers request that the candidate's name be placed on the general election ballot;
(11) that the proposed candidate accepts the nomination and will serve if elected, with the statement signed by the proposed candidate;
(12) the name of the candidate as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot;
(13) that the candidate is not a candidate for any other office to be voted on at the primary or general election and that the candidate is not a candidate for this office under any other nominating petition or declaration of candidacy;
(14) that the candidate meets the specific citizenship requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate;
(15) that the candidate will meet the specific age requirements of the office for which the person is a candidate by the time that the candidate, if elected, is sworn into office;
(16) that the candidate is a qualified voter; and
(17) if the candidacy is for the office of the governor, the name of the candidate for lieutenant governor running jointly with the candidate for governor.
(b) A person filing a nominating petition under this section, other than a person subject to AS 24.60 who is filing a petition for a state legislative office, shall simultaneously file with the director a statement of income sources and business interests that complies with the requirements of AS 39.50. A person who is subject to AS 24.60 and is filing a nominating petition for state legislative office shall simultaneously file with the director a disclosure statement that complies with the requirements of AS 24.60.200 .
(c) An incumbent public official, other than a legislator, who has a current statement of income sources and business interests under AS 39.50 on file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, or an incumbent legislator who has a current disclosure statement under AS 24.60.200 on file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, is not required to file a statement of income sources and business interests or a disclosure statement with the nominating petition under (b) of this section.
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