Voter's guide for Alaska Primary Elections

August 27, 2012

Poll call: Registered Alaska voters head to ballot boxes across the state on Tuesday for primary elections. The once-in-a-decade redrawing of Alaska's political boundaries has sent nearly every state lawmaker back to constituents for re-election; that's resulted in more than a few interesting intra-party battles. Voters will decide the fate of a controversial coastal resource development program and whether to tweak municipal property tax laws.

Primaries are important -- just ask U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski or Joe Miller. More information about early voting and absentee voting can be found from the state of Alaska Division of Elections.

Alaska Legislature

Senate races

On the left, the party's pretty tame, at least in Alaska Senate primary contests. Only one primary offers any real intraparty drama and that's the Senate District M contest between two Democratic heavyweights, incumbent Sen. Bettye Davis and former state Rep. Harry Crawford, who tried and failed (like so many before him) to unseat Congressman Don Young back in 2010. If Crawford prevails, his legacy will be that he took out the first and only black female elected to the Legislature.

Primary voters looking for referendum politics, for a chance to shape a party's platform and ideology, will find all the juice on the right. Alaska Republicans have contested primaries in five districts across the state.

House races

Races for the Alaska House of Representatives have garnered less attention than those for the Senate. Six districts across Alaska feature Democrat-on-Democrat primary elections.

Republicans are squaring off against Republicans in 14 House districts.

Voters looking for more information on candidates and contests, initiatives and issues, read on:

1 Ballot Measure 1: Municipalities fret over Alaska property tax initiative
Alaska legislative analysts predict Ballot Measure 1 would raise the amount of value that may be exempted from $20,000 to a maximum of $50,000 per home.
2 Coastal Management: Prop 2 a fight for local control of Alaska's natural resources
OPINION: Alaskans have fought long and hard for the right to manage the state's abundant natural resources. If Proposition 2 is voted down Tuesday, Alaskans will be ceding sovereignty to big-monied, Outside corporate interests.
3 Follow the money to the hottest races in Alaska primary election
Curious which contests to watch in the final days of campaigning before primary elections across Alaska on Tuesday, Aug. 28? Follow the money.
4 Alaska legislative candidates clarify abortion views
Five questions on the 2012 Values Voters Guide from Alaska Family Action relate to abortion, including the hot-button topic of what abortion's legal status should be.
5 Alaska Senate primary elections primer
Primary challenges: Alaskans have until Sunday to register for voting in party primaries that will decide candidates for the next state Legislature. And this year's shaping up to be a state Senate battle royale.
6 Alaska House primary election primer
Redistricting has made some interesting races in the Alaska House, where all 40 lawmakers are up for election. Take a look at what's going on where you live.
7 Hallmark Valley feud under way in Mat-Su GOP Senate primary
Family feud: Republican primary for Alaska Senate District D, in the Mat-Su, pits the incumbent moderate Linda Menard against neo-fiscal conservative Mike Dunleavy. This rivalry's got history.
8 A pitched battle for hearts, minds and dollars in Anchorage Senate race
In Anchorage, one state Senate race pits an unorthodox candidate who's pounding the pavement against an insider type with longtime ties to the oil industry. And that's just the Republican primary.
9 State legislative races heat up on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula
Differences between candidates running for the Alaska Legislature on the Kenai Peninsula started to emerge this week as they stated their positions on a wide range of issues at a Homer forum.
10 Backbone Alaska: Elections revive old campaign against oil industry influence
Thirteen years ago, a group of Alaska statesmen got together to urge Alaskans to grow a backbone and resist oil industry influence in state government. Now, Backbone is back.
11 Will Alaska voters establish a new coastal management program?
This summer, lawmakers allowed a 40-year-old program to expire after years of heated political debate over who should have the loudest voice on Alaska's shoreline development.
12 Shell Oil top contributor in campaign to stop Alaska coastal initiative
As Shell prepares to explore for offshore oil in Alaska's Arctic, the company is also waging an effort against a ballot initiative that supporters say would restore the voice of Alaskans in federal coastal decisions.