Man, Alaska elections are never just a "fill in the bubble and go home" kind of affair. If you were looking at the election results 2024 Alaska back in November, you probably noticed it took forever to get the final word. That's the Last Frontier for you. Between the vast geography and a voting system that feels like a logic puzzle to some, the 2024 cycle was a total rollercoaster.
We saw a massive seat flip in the U.S. House, a presidential margin that wasn't exactly a shocker, and a ballot measure battle that came down to a literal handful of votes per precinct. Honestly, it was one of the most stressful counts in recent memory for local political junkies.
The Big Flip: Nick Begich III Takes the House
The headline story for most Alaskans was the U.S. House race. For the last couple of years, Mary Peltola—the first Alaska Native in Congress—held that lone seat. She won it in 2022 during a wild special election, and she did it by being the "pro-fish," moderate Democrat who could talk to anyone. But 2024 was a different beast.
Republican Nick Begich III managed to flip the seat back to the GOP. It wasn't even that close after the final tabulation, which is kinda surprising given how tight the polling looked over the summer. Begich ended up with 51.3% of the vote after the ranked choice math was done, while Peltola finished with 48.7%.
Why did it happen? Well, the Republican strategy was way more disciplined this time. In 2022, the GOP vote was split between Begich and Sarah Palin, and they spent most of their time attacking each other. This year, they basically cleared the field. When Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom dropped out after the primary, it paved a smooth road for Begich. He leaned hard into his support for Donald Trump, and in a state that Trump won by 13 points, that's a winning hand.
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Trump Cruises in the North
Speaking of the top of the ticket, the election results 2024 Alaska for the presidency followed a pretty familiar script. Alaska has three electoral votes, and they went to Donald Trump for the third time in a row.
The numbers were pretty decisive:
- Donald Trump: 54.5% (184,458 votes)
- Kamala Harris: 41.4% (140,026 votes)
It’s interesting, though. Even though Trump won comfortably, the "No on 2" campaign (the one to save ranked choice voting) actually got more support in some areas than Kamala Harris did. It shows that Alaskans are still fiercely independent. You can’t just put people in a blue or red box up here and expect them to stay there.
The Ranked Choice Voting Cliffhanger
Okay, let’s talk about Ballot Measure 2. This was the real nail-biter. This measure was designed to repeal the open primary and ranked choice voting (RCV) system that Alaskans adopted back in 2020.
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For weeks, it looked like RCV was toast. On election night, the "Yes" side (the repealers) was leading. But as the absentee and mail-in ballots from the "Bush" (rural Alaska) started trickling in, that lead evaporated.
The final certified result was insane:
- No (Keep RCV): 160,973 votes (50.12%)
- Yes (Repeal RCV): 160,230 votes (49.88%)
The margin was just 743 votes. In a state with over 340,000 ballots cast, that is microscopic. There was a recount, obviously. The Alaska Republican Party pushed for it, but the numbers barely budged. RCV is staying for now.
What’s wild is that the "No" campaign outspent the "Yes" side by something like 100-to-1. We’re talking $15 million against a few hundred thousand dollars. It goes to show that even with all the money in the world, Alaskans are pretty split on how they want to choose their leaders.
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Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave
While everyone was screaming about the House and RCV, Ballot Measure 1 passed with a massive "yes" vote. This one wasn't even close. About 58% of Alaskans voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027 and require employers to provide paid sick leave.
It’s a classic Alaska move—voting for a Republican president and a Republican congressman, but then turning around and passing a progressive-leaning labor policy. It’s that "mind your own business and pay people fairly" streak that defines the state's politics.
Why the Wait? The "15-Day" Rule
If you were refreshing the Division of Elections website every five minutes in November, you probably felt the pain. Alaska has a rule where they wait 15 days after the election to count all the mail-in ballots that were postmarked by election day.
Because Alaska is huge and the mail service in places like Bethel or Nome can be slow (especially in November weather), this rule is a necessity. But it makes for a very long, very tense two weeks. That's why the election results 2024 Alaska didn't feel "real" until almost Thanksgiving.
Actionable Insights for the Next Cycle
So, what does all this mean for you? If you're an Alaskan voter or someone interested in the 2026 midterms, here is what you need to keep in mind:
- Check your registration early: With the RCV system surviving, the 2026 primaries will still be "top-four" open primaries. You don't need to be registered with a specific party to vote for any candidate.
- Rank your ballot (or don't): You still have the power to rank up to four candidates. You don't have to rank more than one, but in close races like the 2024 House flip, those second and third choices are where the magic (or the misery) happens.
- Watch the Legislature: Because RCV survived, we’re seeing another bipartisan coalition in the State Senate and House. This "middle-out" governing style is likely to continue, so keep an eye on how your local reps align themselves in Juneau.
- Prepare for 2026: Proponents of the repeal have already said they want to try again in 2026. This battle isn't over; it's just on intermission.
The 2024 results proved that Alaska is still one of the most politically unique places in the country. We flip seats, we keep weird voting systems by a hair, and we march to our own beat. Keep your voter info updated through the Alaska Division of Elections to make sure you're ready for the next round.