Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2018

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2018 Alaska
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GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryAugust 21, 2018
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In the 2018 elections for the Alaska House of Representatives, Republicans won 23 seats, Democrats won 16 seats, and a Democratic-aligned independent won another race. However, due to defections from within their caucus, Republicans were not able to organize a majority in House. The majority was eventually organized by a bipartisan coalition, and the two parties split control of leadership positions and committee chairs.

To form the bipartisan coalition, the House elected Rep. Bryce Edgmon as speaker on February 14, 2019, nearly a month after the legislative session began on January 15. This was the longest period the House had ever gone without a speaker.

Edgmon, who was elected as a Democrat and served as speaker from 2017 to 2018, changed his party affiliation from Democratic to unenrolled on February 11. The 21-member coalition that elected him speaker included 15 Democrats, four Republicans, one independent, and himself. Eighteen Republicans voted against Edgmon.[1]

Because Republicans did not organize a majority in House, Alaska's trifecta status stayed as divided government, the same as 2017 to 2018.

Read more about the aftermath of the elections below.

Heading into the 2018 elections, Democrats had an effective 22-18 majority in the House. A coalition of 17 Democrats, three Republicans, and two independents controlled the chamber following the 2016 elections. Republicans won 21 of 40 seats in 2016, but state Reps. Paul Seaton, Gabrielle LeDoux, and Louise Stutes left the GOP caucus and joined the bipartisan coalition, which elected Edgmon as state House speaker. Seaton, who ran for re-election as an independent, and fellow majority coalition member Jason Grenn (I) were defeated by Republican challengers in 2018. Bart LeBon (R) won an open race to replace coalition member Scott Kawasaki (D).

All 40 House seats were up for election in 2018.

Heading into the election, Alaska had been under divided government since 2014 when Bill Walker (I) won the governorship. This broke the state's Republican trifecta that first formed after the 2012 elections when Republicans won control of the Alaska State Senate from a Democratic-led majority coalition. Democrats won the state House in 2016 for the first time since losing control in the 1994 elections.

Republicans needed to win the state House to have a trifecta. Democrats needed to win the state Senate and the governorship to have a trifecta. There had not been a Democratic trifecta in Alaska since at least 1992. Heading into the 2018 elections, 16 states were under divided government, eight states were Democratic trifectas, and 26 states were Republican trifectas.

The Alaska House of Representatives was one of 87 state legislative chambers with elections in 2018. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. The Alaska House of Representatives was one of 22 state legislative battleground chambers identified by Ballotpedia in the 2018 elections. Read more below.

Alaska state representatives serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years.

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primaries, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primaries, click here.

Aftermath of elections

  • February 14, 2019: Rep. Bryce Edgmon was elected as House speaker three days after switching his party affiliation from Democratic to unenrolled. Edgmon, who also served as House speaker from 2017 to 2018, was supported by all 15 Democrats, independent Daniel Ortiz, and Republicans Louise Stutes, Gabrielle LeDoux, Jennifer B. Johnston, and Charles M. Kopp. Democratic leader Chris Tuck nominated Edgmon for the speakership.[4] Eighteen Republicans voted against Edgmon. Stutes and LeDoux were part of bipartisan coalition Edgmon led from 2017 to 2018. The Feb. 14 vote was the first time Johnston and Kopp supported Edgmon. They previously backed Republican leader David Talerico.[1] Rep. Gary Knopp, another Republican who did not support Talerico for speaker, was not present for the vote because he was on a previously scheduled trip back to his district. He said thought the speaker's vote was “a start to build that coalition concept” and said he hoped to join the coalition.[5]
  • February 13, 2019: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) released a budget proposal that the Anchorage Daily News said contained $900 million in spending cuts.[6] See the full proposal here. One day earlier, he tweeted: "Elections have consequences, & the majority of Alaskans have chosen conservatives in #AKLeg, and expect a republican led majority. With the budget coming out tomorrow and the house absent from work for the last month, it’s time to get to work and do the people’s business."[7]
  • February 12, 2019: A vote to elect Rep. David Talerico (R) as speaker failed by a 20-20 margin. Rep. Gary Knopp (R) voted no despite saying one day earlier that he would vote for a Republican speaker. Rep. Louise Stutes (R) nominated Knopp as speaker. The vote also failed by a 20-20 margin. Knopp said he had originally intended to vote for Talerico before Stutes suggested that he be nominated as speaker instead. When asked about his Feb. 11 statement that said he would vote for a Republican speaker, Knopp said, “I am supporting a Republican nominee: myself.” Knopp also said he was bothered by a Facebook comment from Rep. David Eastman (R) on an article about Knopp. In the comment, Eastman discussed the procedures for recalling a state representative from office.[8][9]
  • February 11, 2019:
    • Rep. Gary Knopp (R) announced that he was returning to the GOP caucus and said he would “be the 21st vote to support a Republican-led coalition or caucus.” Knopp said he still believed that a narrow Republican majority would fracture when faced with divisive issues like budgetary policy, but he thought that the problems caused by an unorganized House majority were greater.[10]
    • Rep. Bryce Edgmon, the House speaker from 2017 to 2018, changed his party affiliation from Democratic to undeclared.[11]
  • February 8, 2019:
    • Rep. George Rauscher (R) left the group of eight lawmakers attempting to negotiate a bipartisan power-sharing agreement (see Feb. 4 entry). Rauscher said, “We all worked in good faith and did everything we could to move forward with this concept, but after many hours now spent, I can confidently say that I do not believe all the hurdles can be addressed.” In response, Rep. Lance Pruitt (R), another member of the group, said, “[Rauscher leaving] doesn’t kill it. It’s still out there as that backstop.” As of Feb. 8, the group's plan would have created two co-leaders of the House (one Democrat and one Republican) as well as bipartisan committee co-chairs and equal membership on committees. Moreover, Democrats and Republicans both would have a limited number of opportunities to advance stalled bills out of committee.[12]
    • A vote to elect David Talerico (R) as speaker of the house failed, 20 to 17 (21 votes were required for the vote to pass). Democrats Zack Fields and Tiffany Zulkosky and Republican Gary Knopp were absent for the vote.[13]
  • February 7, 2019: Rep. Steve Thompson (R) said the Republican caucus had made offers to several Democrats asking them to join a majority coalition.[14]
  • February 5, 2019: The House reached its 22nd day in the legislative session without a majority. This matched the state record, set in 1981, for the longest period of time without a majority.
  • February 4, 2019:
    • The House held another vote for permanent speaker at the request of Rep. David Eastman (R). Republican leader David Talerico was voted down 20-20, the same margin he lost by on January 22. Again, Republicans Gary Knopp, Gabrielle LeDoux, and Louise Stutes voted against him. Knopp said he could possibly support Talerico in the future, but he said he first wanted the majority coalition to have the potential for success. Rep. Bryce Edgmon, the Democratic speaker from 2017 to 2018, was also nominated for the permanent speakership, but he declined to be considered.[15]
    • The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported that eight House members were working to create a power-sharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans. The group included three Democrats (Grier Hopkins, Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Andi Story), four Republicans (Bart LeBon, Lance Pruitt, George Rauscher, and Josh Revak), and independent Daniel Ortiz. Hopkins and LeBon said the group was looking at power-sharing models used by evenly-split legislatures from other states and that they planned on presenting the different power-sharing options to members of the House. They said their goal for reaching an agreement was February 13, the day Gov. Mike Dunleavy's budget proposal was set to be released.[16]
  • January 29, 2019: With the Alaska House eight days away from setting a record for longest period of time without a permanent leader, James Brooks of the Anchorage Daily News published an article with commentary from legislators on what was causing the deadlock. Read the commentary below. The record of 22 days was set in 1981.[17]
  • January 22, 2019: The Alaska House voted down a nomination of Republican leader David Talerico (R) for speaker of the house. The vote was 20-20, with Republican Reps. Gabrielle LeDoux, Louise Stutes, and Gary Knopp voting with all 16 Democrats and independent Daniel Ortiz against the nomination.[18] David Eastman (R), who previously said he might not vote for Talerico, voted in favor of the nomination. Rep. Chris Tuck (D) nominated Bryce Edgmon (D), the house speaker from 2017 to 2018, for the same position. Tuck withdrew the nomination shortly after Talerico was voted down, saying he expected the Edgmon nomination to fail as well. Knopp said that he would not vote for Talerico or Edgmon and that he still hoped to form a bipartisan caucus.[19]
  • January 17, 2019: The Alaska House continued to operate without a majority in place. Because of this, no committees could be formed and legislative business could not be conducted.[20]
    • The House voted 35-4 to install Rep. Neal Foster (D) as speaker pro tempore so that he could preside over the chamber in place of Lieutenant Gov. Meyer. This was not the same as electing a speaker of the house, and Foster's powers were limited to administrative tasks like accepting nominations for a permanent speaker of the chamber. Before Foster was elected, the House rejected a bid by Rep. Mark Neuman (R) to be speaker pro tempore, 19-20.[20]
    • The House also swore in Sharon Jackson (R) after declining to accept her nomination on Jan. 15 (see entry below for more details), and it voted to keep House staff employed until a majority could be formed.[20]
  • January 15, 2019: The 2019 legislative session convened without a majority caucus in place.[21] With no majority having formed, incoming Lieutenant Gov. Kevin Meyer (R) began to serve as the presiding officer until the House could decide its organization and elect a speaker.[22] According to Josh Applebee, Meyer's chief of staff, the lieutenant governor is granted few powers by the state constitution apart from swearing members in and allowing them to vote on chamber leadership. He said, “There’s no committees to be appointed, communications from the governor and the Senate can be received but not acted upon; they basically sit on the clerk’s desk.”[23]
    • Meyer swore in just 39 members of the House (22 Republicans, 16 Democrats, and one independent) because Democrat Chris Tuck raised a point of order over whether Sharon Jackson (R) could be sworn in by Meyer, a member of the executive branch. Jackson was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) as the replacement for Nancy Dahlstrom (R), who Dunleavy appointed as commissioner of the Department of Corrections on December 5.[24]
  • January 9, 2019: Knopp gave an interview to Nat Herz of the Alaska Energy Desk where he continued to say that a 21-member Republican majority would not work and that the chamber needed a bipartisan majority to function.
  • December 21, 2018: A group calling itself the Coastal House Legislators (Reps. Bryce Edgmon (D), Neal Foster (D), Louise Stutes (R), Daniel Ortiz (I), Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D), Gabrielle LeDoux (R), John Lincoln (D), Tiffany Zulkosky (D), Sara Hannan (D), and Andi Story (D)) released a joint statement that said, "It is our goal to be part of a strong, hard-working majority whose highest priorities are the prosperity, safety, health, and well-being of the people of Alaska...[We] want fellow House members to know that we are, and will remain, united in our determination to join a coalition that is dedicated to passing a responsible budget, keeping Alaskans safe, and protecting the Permanent Fund and the Permanent Fund Dividend. We will only participate in a coalition that is dedicated to these goals."[26]
  • December 20, 2018: Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth ruled that the Alaska Division of Elections properly counted ballots in the District 1 recount and said he would issue a report on Dec. 21. Aarseth said, "The Legislature has made the emphasis that a prompt decision, in my words, is more important than perfection in the election process itself." The Alaska Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Aarseth's report Jan. 4.[27]
  • December 20, 2018: Gov. Dunleavy selected Sharon Jackson (R) as the replacement for Nancy Dahlstrom (R) in District 13. Jackson's nomination was subject to confirmation by House Republicans.[28]
  • December 12, 2018: Republicans in House Districts 13 and 14 nominated Craig Christenson, Sharon Jackson, and Richard "Clayton" Trotter as potential replacements for state Rep.-elect Nancy Dahlstrom (R) in District 13. According to KTUU, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) would be responsible for choosing Dahlstrom's replacement from among the three nominees and House Republicans would need to confirm the replacement.[29]
  • December 9, 2018: In an interview with The Anchorage Daily News, Knopp said he did not believe a 21-member Republican majority would be stable, particularly if that majority included David Eastman (R). The ADN reported that Eastman was the sole “no” vote against legislation 75 times from 2017 to 2018 and that he had more solo “no” votes than all other legislators combined from 2013 to 2016. Knopp said that he was attempting to organize a 24-member bipartisan majority (12 Democrats and 12 Republicans) that would divide leadership positions between the parties and avoid divisive tax legislation (including oil and gas taxes and broad-based taxes). Knopp said there was Democratic support for the idea, but Republicans had not yet accepted it. Louise Stutes (R) and Daniel Ortiz (I) both expressed support for the proposed coalition.[30]
  • December 8, 2018: Rep. Gary Knopp (R)—one of the 20 Republicans who appeared at a November 7 press conference to announce they were forming a majority coalition—said he was leaving the Republican caucus.[21] Knopp said, “A 21 member caucus cannot succeed. It’s doomed for failure and I’m not going to be on that train. I’m not joining the Democrats either. I’m doing this to try and force a true coalition.”[31]
  • December 7, 2018: The Alaska Supreme Court appointed Eric Aarseth, a Superior Court judge from Anchorage, as a special master to oversee Dodge's appeal. The Supreme Court said Aarseth's report would be due on December 21 and that oral argument in the case would be set for early January.[32]
  • December 5, 2018: Dodge (D) announced that she would appeal the result of the recount to the Alaska Supreme Court, challenging the Division of Elections' decision on four ballots.[33] Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) also announced that he was appointing state Rep.-elect Nancy Dahlstrom (R) as the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, creating a vacancy to be filled by Dunleavy.[34][35]
  • November 30, 2018: An automatic recount was held in the District 1 race.[36] The recount showed LeBon (R) with 2,663 votes and Dodge (D) with 2,662 votes. The state review board determined that the uncounted ballot marked for Dodge was spoiled and would remain uncounted. According to Alaska Public Media, Dodge had until December 5 to appeal the result to the Alaska Supreme Court.[37] See more from Juneau Empire here.
  • November 26, 2018: The District 1 race was certified as a tied race. Josie Bahnke, Director of Division of Elections, said there was one uncounted ballot marked for Dodge (D) and that the state review board would determine its status on Nov. 30.[38]
  • November 23, 2018: A hand audit of 522 absentee ballots in the District 1 race was held.[36]
  • November 21, 2018: This was the final day for overseas ballots to arrive and be counted in the District 1 race.[39] A review of all in-person ballots and an initial count of absentee ballots showed that Dodge (D) and LeBon (R) had received 2,661 votes each.[36]
  • November 16, 2018: A total of 309 absentee ballots were counted in the District 1 race.[40] LeBon (R) took a five-vote lead, but 68 absentee ballots had not been returned yet.[39]
  • November 13, 2018: Dodge (D) took a 10-vote lead over LeBon (R) in the District 1 race after questioned ballots were counted.[40]
  • November 8, 2018: Eastman told KTOO that he would not commit to voting for Talerico as speaker but that he did plan to vote for a Republican. He said, “I think we’ve got the right 21. But that still leaves 21 options for speaker. And I haven’t figured out which of those options is the best one for my district and the things I care about.”[41]
  • November 7, 2018: Twenty Republican representatives held a press conference where they announced they had won the majority in the chamber and would elect Rep. Dave Talerico (R) as House Speaker. A caucus would need 21 votes to elect the House speaker.[41]
    • In attendance was District 1 candidate Bart LeBon (R), who led Kathryn Dodge (D) in a too close to call race by 79 votes.[42]
    • Not in attendance were Rep. David Eastman (R), who KTOO said was a conservative representative known for breaking with Republican leadership in the last session, and Reps. Gabrielle LeDoux (R) and Louise Stutes (R), both of whom caucused with the Democratic-led majority coalition in the last session.[43][41]

Commentary on deadlock in house leadership race

The following commentary on the deadlock in the state house leadership race is from a January 29 Anchorage Daily News article by James Brooks.[17]

  • Rep. Bryce Edgmon (D): “It’s not issues that are separating us. At this point, I think it’s more party politics.”
  • Rep. David Talerico (R): "I’m assuming that it’ll have to be a mixed group [of Democrats and Republicans] at some point...I’ve been asked a few times which day I think it will be. Well, I wish it was yesterday.”
  • Rep. Andy Josephson (D): “Because Gov. Dunleavy is believed to be a budget hawk, and has opposed new revenue concepts, it’s actually made us more cohesive as a group of 19 because I think there’s a belief there has to be some counterweight vis-a-vis that philosophy.”
  • Rep. Gary Knopp (R) on why Republicans had not joined a coalition: “I think the new candidates, the freshmen, and some of the incumbents are scared of the direction the party’s taken in the last few years.”
    • Knopp was specifically referring to the Republican Party of Alaska running primary challenges against members who defected after the 2016 elections.
  • Rep. Louise Stutes (R) on why members were reluctant to elect a speaker from the other party: “We see very similarly in the issues at hand. The problem seems to be whether you have an R or a D behind your name.”
  • Rep. Mark Neuman (R): In a paraphrase from Brooks, Neuman said a changeup in the Democratic and Republican leadership could offer a path forward. He also said he was concerned that members were paying too much attention to their constituents on social media when making decisions.

1981 House deadlock

The record for the longest time the Alaska House went without a majority was set in 1981 when a majority did not form for 22 days after the start of the legislative session. Democrats won 22 of 40 seats in the chamber, but they were unable to organize a majority because their members did not agree on the leadership of the Finance Committee.

Eventually, Democrats put together a slim majority and elected Rep. Jim Duncan (D) as speaker. He served as speaker until June 2018 when Republicans lured several Democrats who were unhappy with the length of the session away from the majority coalition. They deposed Duncan as the chamber leader and installed Rep. Joe Hayes (R) as the new speaker.

Duncan's allies sued the new majority, claiming that their actions were unconstitutional. However, an Alaska Superior Court dismissed their claim.[44][45]

Tied races in Alaska

According to Alaska state law, a race that remains tied after a recount shall be determined by a game of chance.[46]

The last tied race in Alaska was the House District 37 Democratic primary in 2006. Bryce Edgmon (D) defeated state Rep. Carl Moses (D) in a coin toss.[47]

Post-election analysis

See also: State legislative elections, 2018

The Republican Party maintained control of the Alaska State Senate and entered into a power-sharing agreement with the Democratic Party in the Alaska House of Representatives in the 2018 election. In the state Senate, 10 out of 20 seats were up for election. The Republican majority was reduced from 14-6 to 13-7. One Republican incumbent was defeated in the general election.

The Alaska House of Representatives was identified as a battleground chamber. All 40 seats were up for election. The Democratic and Republican parties entered into a power-sharing agreement. The Republican majority was reduced from 23-16 to 21-17. One Republican incumbent was defeated in the primary. Two incumbents were defeated in the general election; one Democrat and one independent.

National background

On November 6, 2018, 87 of the nation's 99 state legislative chambers held regularly scheduled elections for 6,073 of 7,383 total seats, meaning that nearly 82 percent of all state legislative seats were up for election.

  • Entering the 2018 election, Democrats held 42.6 percent, Republicans held 56.8 percent, and independents and other parties held 0.6 percent of the seats up for regular election.
  • Following the 2018 election, Democrats held 47.3 percent, Republicans held 52.3 percent, and independents and other parties held 0.4 percent of the seats up for regular election.
  • A total of 469 incumbents were defeated over the course of the election cycle, with roughly one-third of them defeated in the primary.

Want more information?

Districts

See also: Alaska state legislative districts

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

Candidates

See also: Statistics on state legislative candidates, 2018

General election candidates

Alaska House of Representatives General Election 2018

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

Kathryn Dodge  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBart LeBon

District 2

Van Lawrence

Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Thompson (i)

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngTammie Wilson (i)

District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngGrier Hopkins

Jim Sackett

Tim Lamkin (Independent)

District 5

Green check mark transparent.pngAdam Wool (i)

Kevin McKinley

District 6

Ed Alexander

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Talerico (i)

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngColleen Sullivan-Leonard (i)

District 8

James Chesbro Jr.

Green check mark transparent.pngMark Neuman (i)

Mark Fish (Libertarian Party)

District 9

Bill Johnson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Rauscher (i)
James Squyres

District 10

Patricia Faye-Brazel

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Eastman (i)  Candidate Connection
Doyle Holmes

District 11

Eileen Patterson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDeLena Johnson (i)

District 12

Stephany Jeffers  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngCathy Tilton (i)

District 13

Danyelle Kimp

Green check mark transparent.pngNancy Dahlstrom

District 14

Joe Hackenmueller  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngKelly Merrick

District 15

Lyn Franks  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGabrielle LeDoux (i)

District 16

Green check mark transparent.pngIvy Spohnholz (i)

Stanley Wright

District 17

Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew Josephson (i)

Marcus Sanders

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngHarriet Drummond (i)

Anthony Lekanof

District 19

Green check mark transparent.pngGeran Tarr (i)

Cean Stevens (Libertarian Party)

District 20

Green check mark transparent.pngZack Fields  Candidate Connection

Ceezar Martinson

Warren West (Libertarian Party)

District 21

Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Claman (i)

Marilyn Stewart

District 22

Dustin Darden

Green check mark transparent.pngSara Rasmussen

Jason Grenn (i) (Independent)

District 23

Green check mark transparent.pngChris Tuck (i)

Connie Dougherty

District 24

Sue Levi

Green check mark transparent.pngCharles Kopp (i)

District 25

Pat Higgins

Green check mark transparent.pngJosh Revak

District 26

Anita Thorne

Did not make the ballot:
Hunter Dunn 

Green check mark transparent.pngLaddie Shaw

District 27

Liz Snyder

Green check mark transparent.pngLance Pruitt (i)

District 28

Amber Lee

Green check mark transparent.pngJennifer Johnston (i)

District 29

Shawn Butler

Green check mark transparent.pngBen Carpenter

District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngGary A. Knopp (i)

District 31

Paul Seaton (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngSarah Vance  Candidate Connection

District 32

Dennis Harris  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLouise Stutes (i)

Sandra Katelnikoff-Lester (Independent)

District 33

Green check mark transparent.pngSara Hannan

Chris Dimond (Independent)

District 34

Green check mark transparent.pngAndi Story

Jerry Nankervis

District 35

Green check mark transparent.pngJonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (i)

Richard Wein

District 36

Did not make the ballot:
Ghert Abbott 

Trevor Shaw

Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Ortiz (i) (Independent)

District 37

Green check mark transparent.pngBryce Edgmon (i)

William Weatherby

District 38

Green check mark transparent.pngTiffany Zulkosky (i)

Darren Deacon

District 39

Green check mark transparent.pngNeal Foster (i)

District 40

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Lincoln (i)
Leanna Mack

Patrick Savok (Nonpartisan)


Write-in candidates

Primary candidates

The candidate list below is based on a candidate filing list provided by the Alaska Division of Elections. The filing deadline for the August primary was on June 1, 2018.[48]

Alaska House of Representatives Primary Election 2018

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Office Democratic, Libertarian, and Independence Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

Green check mark transparent.pngKathryn Dodge  Candidate Connection

Wolfgang Falke
Green check mark transparent.pngBart LeBon

District 2

Green check mark transparent.pngVan Lawrence

Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Thompson (i)

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngTammie Wilson (i)

District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngGrier Hopkins

Green check mark transparent.pngJim Sackett

District 5

Green check mark transparent.pngAdam Wool (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngKevin McKinley

District 6

Green check mark transparent.pngEd Alexander

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Talerico (i)

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngColleen Sullivan-Leonard (i)

District 8

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Chesbro Jr.
Green check mark transparent.pngMark Fish

Green check mark transparent.pngMark Neuman (i)
Andy Murr

District 9

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Johnson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Rauscher (i)
Jim Colver
Pamela Goode

District 10

Green check mark transparent.pngPatricia Faye-Brazel
Neal Lacy

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Eastman (i)  Candidate Connection

District 11

Green check mark transparent.pngEileen Patterson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDeLena Johnson (i)
Edna Devries

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngStephany Jeffers  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngCathy Tilton (i)

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngDanyelle Kimp

Craig Christenson
Bill Cook
Green check mark transparent.pngNancy Dahlstrom

District 14

Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Hackenmueller  Candidate Connection

Jamie Allard
Eugene Harnett
Green check mark transparent.pngKelly Merrick

District 15

Green check mark transparent.pngLyn Franks  Candidate Connection
Patrick McCormack
Rick Phillips

Green check mark transparent.pngGabrielle LeDoux (i)
Aaron Weaver

District 16

Green check mark transparent.pngIvy Spohnholz (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngStanley Wright

District 17

Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew Josephson (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngMarcus Sanders

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngHarriet Drummond (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngAnthony Lekanof

District 19

Green check mark transparent.pngGeran Tarr (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngCean Stevens

District 20

Green check mark transparent.pngZack Fields  Candidate Connection
Cliff Groh
Elias Rojas
Green check mark transparent.pngWarren West

Green check mark transparent.pngCeezar Martinson

District 21

Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Claman (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngMarilyn Stewart

District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngDustin Darden

Green check mark transparent.pngSara Rasmussen
Liz Vazquez

District 23

Green check mark transparent.pngChris Tuck (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngConnie Dougherty
Forrest McDonald

District 24

Green check mark transparent.pngSue Levi

Green check mark transparent.pngCharles Kopp (i)
Stephen Duplantis

District 25

Green check mark transparent.pngPat Higgins

Charisse Millett (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngJosh Revak

District 26

Green check mark transparent.pngHunter Dunn

Albert Fogle
Joe Riggs
Green check mark transparent.pngLaddie Shaw

District 27

Green check mark transparent.pngLiz Snyder

Green check mark transparent.pngLance Pruitt (i)
Donald Jones

District 28

Green check mark transparent.pngAmber Lee

Green check mark transparent.pngJennifer Johnston (i)
Ross P. Bieling

District 29

Green check mark transparent.pngShawn Butler

Green check mark transparent.pngBen Carpenter
Wayne Ogle

District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngGary A. Knopp (i)

District 31

Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Seaton (i)

John Cox
Hank Kroll
Green check mark transparent.pngSarah Vance  Candidate Connection

District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngDennis Harris  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLouise Stutes (i)
Rich Walker

District 33

Steven Handy
Green check mark transparent.pngSara Hannan
James Hart
Tom Morphet

District 34

Rob Edwardson
Green check mark transparent.pngAndi Story

Green check mark transparent.pngJerry Nankervis

District 35

Green check mark transparent.pngJonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (i)

Kenny Karl Skaflestad
Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Wein

District 36

Green check mark transparent.pngGhert Abbott

Green check mark transparent.pngTrevor Shaw

District 37

Green check mark transparent.pngBryce Edgmon (i)

Stan Swetzof
Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam Weatherby

District 38

Green check mark transparent.pngTiffany Zulkosky (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Zach Fansler 

Green check mark transparent.pngDarren Deacon

District 39

Green check mark transparent.pngNeal Foster (i)

District 40

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Lincoln (i)


Margins of victory

See also: Margin of victory analysis for the 2018 state legislative elections

A margin of victory (MOV) analysis for the 2018 Alaska House of Representatives races is presented in this section. MOV represents the percentage of total votes that separated the winner and the second-place finisher. For example, if the winner of a race received 47 percent of the vote and the second-place finisher received 45 percent of the vote, the MOV is 2 percent.

The table below presents the following figures for each party:

  • Elections won
  • Elections won by less than 10 percentage points
  • Elections won without opposition
  • Average margin of victory[49]
Alaska House of Representatives: 2018 Margin of Victory Analysis
Party Elections won Elections won by less than 10% Unopposed elections Average margin of victory[49]
Democratic Party Democratic
16
6
1
17.8%
Republican Party Republican
23
5
3
25.0%
Grey.png Other
1
0
0
20.8%
Total
40
11
4
21.2%



The margin of victory in each race is presented below. The list is sorted from the closest MOV to the largest (including unopposed races).

Alaska House of Representatives: 2018 Margin of Victory by District
District Winning Party Losing Party Margin of Victory
Alaska House of Representatives District 1
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
0.0%
Alaska House of Representatives District 27
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
2.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 25
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
4.0%
Alaska House of Representatives District 33
Electiondot.png Democratic
Grey.png Independent
5.6%
Alaska House of Representatives District 22
Ends.png Republican
Grey.png Independent
6.1%
Alaska House of Representatives District 34
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
6.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 5
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
6.5%
Alaska House of Representatives District 23
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
6.6%
Alaska House of Representatives District 4
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
8.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 21
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
9.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 15
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
9.6%
Alaska House of Representatives District 31
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
10.6%
Alaska House of Representatives District 16
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
10.8%
Alaska House of Representatives District 38
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
11.6%
Alaska House of Representatives District 35
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
14.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 28
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
15.0%
Alaska House of Representatives District 6
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
19.0%
Alaska House of Representatives District 17
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
19.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 32
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
19.5%
Alaska House of Representatives District 36
Grey.png Independent
Ends.png Republican
20.8%
Alaska House of Representatives District 24
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
21.0%
Alaska House of Representatives District 26
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
25.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 14
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
25.9%
Alaska House of Representatives District 37
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
29.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 18
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
29.9%
Alaska House of Representatives District 2
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
32.7%
Alaska House of Representatives District 19
Electiondot.png Democratic
Specialsession.png Libertarian
35.3%
Alaska House of Representatives District 10
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
35.5%
Alaska House of Representatives District 20
Electiondot.png Democratic
Ends.png Republican
36.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 29
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
38.1%
Alaska House of Representatives District 40
Electiondot.png Democratic
Grey.png Nonpartisan
38.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 9
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
42.2%
Alaska House of Representatives District 13
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
42.4%
Alaska House of Representatives District 11
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
44.3%
Alaska House of Representatives District 12
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
50.7%
Alaska House of Representatives District 8
Ends.png Republican
Electiondot.png Democratic
55.7%
Alaska House of Representatives District 3
Ends.png Republican
None
Unopposed
Alaska House of Representatives District 30
Ends.png Republican
None
Unopposed
Alaska House of Representatives District 39
Electiondot.png Democratic
None
Unopposed
Alaska House of Representatives District 7
Ends.png Republican
None
Unopposed


Seats flipped

See also: State legislative seats that changed party control, 2018

The below map displays each seat in the Alaska House of Representatives which changed partisan hands as a result of the 2018 elections, shaded according to the partisan affiliation of the winner in 2018. Hover over a shaded district for more information.

State legislative seats flipped in 2018, Alaska House of Representatives
District Incumbent 2018 winner Direction of flip
Alaska House of Representatives District 1 Democratic Party Scott Kawasaki Republican Party Bart Lebon D to R
Alaska House of Representatives District 22 Grey.png Jason Grenn Republican Party Sara Rasmussen Independent to R
Alaska House of Representatives District 31 Democratic Party Paul Seaton Republican Party Sarah Vance D to R

Incumbents retiring

Nine incumbents did not run for re-election in 2018.[50] Those incumbents were:

Name Party Current Office
Scott Kawasaki Electiondot.png Democratic House District 1
David Guttenberg Electiondot.png Democratic House District 4
Dan Saddler Ends.png Republican House District 13
Lora Reinbold Ends.png Republican House District 14
Les Gara Electiondot.png Democratic House District 20
Chris Birch Ends.png Republican House District 26
Mike Chenault Ends.png Republican House District 29
Sam Kito Electiondot.png Democratic House District 33
Justin Parish Electiondot.png Democratic House District 34

2018 battleground chamber

See also: State legislative battleground chambers, 2018

Ballotpedia identified the Alaska House of Representatives as one of 22 battleground chambers in 2018. These were chambers that we anticipated to be, overall, more competitive than other chambers and had the potential to see significant shifts in party control.


The chamber was selected because it met the following conditions:

  • Competitive seats: In 2016, four seats won by Democrats and one seat won by an independent had a margin of victory that was less than 10 percent. Two Republican seats had a margin of victory less than 10 percent. See the 2018 races to watch here.
  • Competitive statewide race: Electoral ratings organizations expected the Alaska gubernatorial race to be competitive. The governor's office was held by Bill Walker (I) from 2015 to 2018, a Republican from 2002 to 2014 and a Democrat from 1994 to 2002. Read more about the 2018 gubernatorial race here.
  • Majority held 55 percent of seats: The Democratic-led coalition controlled 22 of 40 seats, which is 55 percent of the total.
  • Recent party control switches: The chamber flipped from Republican to Democratic control in 2016.

Party control: 2006 - 2016
Election Year: 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
Winning Party: R R R R R D

Battleground races

Alaska House of Representatives
Battleground races
Democratic seats
Democratic Party District 5
Democratic Party District 16
Democratic Party District 21
Democratic Party District 34
Republican seats
Republican Party District 25
Republican Party District 27
Independent seats
Grey.png District 22
Grey.png District 31
Grey.png District 36

Ballotpedia identified nine battleground races in the Alaska House of Representatives 2018 elections: four Democratic seats, two Republican seats, and three independent seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.

To determine state legislative battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the four factors listed below:

  1. If the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in the most recent election prior to 2018
  2. If the presidential candidate opposite of the incumbent's party won the district in the 2016 elections and the incumbent’s margin of victory in the previous election was 10 percentage points or less
  3. If the presidential candidate opposite of the incumbent's party won the district in the 2016 elections and the incumbent did not file to run for re-election
  4. If the presidential candidate opposite of the incumbent's party won the district in the 2016 elections by 20 points or more

Other factors could also cause a race to be classified as a battleground. For example, Ballotpedia may have considered an election to be a battleground race if an outside group or a national or state party announced that they were targeting a specific seat in order to flip it. We may have also determined a race to be a battleground if it received an unusual amount of media attention. Two additional factors were open seats and districts impacted by redistricting.


Democratic PartyDistrict 5

Who won this race?

Democratic incumbent Adam Wool defeated Republican Kevin McKinley.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Adam Wool (incumbent)
Republican Party Kevin McKinley

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016 and the presidential candidate of the opposite party won. Incumbent Adam Wool (D) was first elected in 2014. He won the seat by 5.4 points, which separated him from his opponent by just 342 votes. He was re-elected in 2016 by 5.9 points, a margin of 428 votes. In both elections, he received just under 53 percent of the total vote. District 5 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 5 by 6.4 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 11.7 points.

Democratic Party District 16

Who won this race?

Democratic incumbent Ivy Spohnholz defeated Republican Stanley Wright.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Ivy Spohnholz (incumbent)
Republican Party Stanley Wright

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Ivy Spohnholz (D) was first elected in November 2016. She had been appointed to the seat in March 2016 following the resignation of Max Gruenberg (D). She received 51.7 percent of the vote in 2016. Her Republican opponent received 42.0 percent and an independent candidate received 6.3 percent. District 16 was one of 13 Alaska House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 16 by 1.4 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 1.6 points.

Democratic Party District 21

Who won this race?

Democratic incumbent Matt Claman defeated Republican Marilyn Stewart.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Matt Claman (incumbent)
Republican Party Marilyn Stewart

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Matt Claman (D) was first elected in 2014. He received 50.6 percent of the vote in 2014 and 52.4 percent in 2016. District 16 was one of 13 Alaska House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 21 by 8.9 points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 3.3 points.

Grey.png District 22

Who won this race?

Republican Sara Rasmussen defeated Independent incumbent Jason Grenn and Democrat Dustin Darden.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

An independent member held the seat

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Dustin Darden
Republican Party Sara Rasmussen
Grey.png Jason Grenn (incumbent)

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Jason Grenn (I) was first elected in 2016 when he defeated Republican incumbent Liz Vazquez. He received 46.5 percent of the vote, which was 2.5 points higher (and 186 votes more) than Vasquez. Dustin Darden of the Alaskan Independent Party received 9.5 percent of the vote. District 22 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 22 by 11.4 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 18.6 points.

Republican Party District 25

Who won this race?

Republican Josh Revak defeated Democrat Pat Higgins.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Pat Higgins
Republican Party Josh Revak

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Charisse E. Millett (R) was first elected in 2008. In 2016, she received 50.6 percent of the vote, which gave her a 93-vote victory over her Democratic challenger. District 25 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 25 by 5.4 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 10.8 points.

Republican Party District 27

Who won this race?

Republican incumbent Lance Pruitt defeated Democrat Liz Snyder.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Liz Snyder
Republican Party Lance Pruitt (incumbent)

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Lance Pruitt (R) was first elected in 2010. In 2016, he received 51.0 percent of the vote, which gave him a 157-vote victory over his Democratic challenger. District 27 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 27 by 4.1 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 9.7 points.

Grey.png District 31

Who won this race?

Republican Sarah Vance defeated Democratic incumbent Paul Seaton.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

An independent member held the seat

Who were the candidates running?

Grey.png Paul Seaton (incumbent)
Republican Party Sarah Vance

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the Republican incumbent filed to run for re-election as an independent and faced another Republican in the general election. Incumbent Paul Seaton (I) was first elected in 2002. He was re-elected in 2016 without opposition. However, he joined a Democratic-led majority coalition after the elections and later filed to run for re-election as an independent His Republican challenger in the general election was Sarah Vance. District 31 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 31 by 21.5 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 21.2 points.

Democratic Party District 34

Who won this race?

Democrat Andi Story defeated Republican Jerry Nankervis.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Andi Story
Republican Party Jerry Nankervis

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Justin Parish (D) was first elected in 2016. He defeated Republican incumbent Cathy Munoz by 2.2 points, which accounted for 195 votes. District 34 was one of 13 Alaska House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 34 by 3 points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 4.8 points.

Grey.png District 36

Who won this race?

Independent incumbent Daniel Ortiz defeated Republican Trevor Shaw.

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

An independent member held the seat

Who were the candidates running?

Democratic Party Ghert Abbott
Republican Party Trevor Shaw
Grey.png Daniel Ortiz (incumbent)

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2016. Incumbent Daniel Ortiz (I) was first elected in 2014. He was re-elected in 2016 with 52.5 percent of the vote. His Republican challenger received 42.4 percent and a Constitution Party candidate received 5.1 percent. District 36 was one of 27 Alaska House districts that Republican Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 36 by 21.8 points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by 13.5 points.

Battleground races map

Alaska political history

See also: Partisan composition of state houses and State government trifectas

Party control

2018

Alaska House of Representatives
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 17 16
     Republican Party 20 23
     Independent 3 1
Total 40 40

2016

In the 2016 elections, Republicans saw their numerical majority drop from 23-16 with one independent to 21-17 with two independents. Gains by Democrats and independents allowed the 17 Democrats to form a majority coalition with three Republicans and two independents. The coalition had a 22-18 advantage over Republicans and gave Democrats effective control of the chamber.

Alaska House of Representatives
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 16 17[51]
     Republican Party 23 21
     Independent 1 2
Total 40 40

Trifectas

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Alaska came under divided government in 2014 when Alaska elected independent Bill Walker as governor. From 1992 to 2017, Alaska was under trifecta control for six years, with Republicans controlling the state from 2003 to 2006 and from 2013 to 2014.

Alaska Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor I I R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R I I I I R R R R R R
Senate S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R S S
House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D S S S S S S

Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to state legislative elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose 494 seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 state legislative waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

State legislative wave elections
Year President Party Election type State legislative seats change Elections analyzed[52]
1932 Hoover R Presidential -1,022 7,365
1922 Harding R First midterm -907 6,907
1966 Johnson D First midterm[53] -782 7,561
1938 Roosevelt D Second midterm -769 7,179
1958 Eisenhower R Second midterm -702 7,627
2010 Obama D First midterm -702 7,306
1974 Ford R Second midterm[54] -695 7,481
1920 Wilson D Presidential -654 6,835
1930 Hoover R Presidential -640 7,361
1954 Eisenhower R First midterm -494 7,513

Candidate and office information

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Alaska
The first page of a declaration of candidacy form for Alaska state legislative candidates.

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 15.25 of the Alaska Election Law

A person who seeks to become a candidate for office in a primary election must file a declaration of candidacy. This declaration must be made under oath before an authorized officer and must be filed with the Alaska Division of Elections. The form must be delivered in person or by mail at or before 5:00 p.m. on June 1 of the year in which the general election is taking place.[55][56]

At the time of filing a declaration of candidacy, a candidate must pay a nonrefundable filing fee to the Alaska Division of Elections. For the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, United States Senator, and United States Representative, the filing fee is $100. The filing fee for state legislative candidates is $30. Candidates must also submit a financial disclosure form (for further information on campaign finance requirements, see this article).[57]

Write-in candidates

A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Alaska Division of Elections. The form must be filed no later than five days prior to the general election. A write-in candidate must also file a financial disclosure statement alongside the declaration of intent. If a write-in candidate is running for governor, the candidate must file a joint declaration of intent with a candidate for lieutenant governor.[58][58]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

Article II, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states: A member of the legislature shall be a qualified voter who has been a resident of Alaska for at least three years and of the district from which elected for at least one year, immediately preceding his filing for office. A representative shall be at least twenty-one years of age.

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[59]
SalaryPer diem
$84,000/year$307/day

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Alaska legislators assume office on the third Tuesday of January following their election.[60][61]

Competitiveness

Every year, Ballotpedia uses official candidate lists from each state to examine the competitiveness of every state legislative race in the country. Nationally, there has been a steady decline in electoral competitiveness since 2010. Most notable is that the number of districts with general election competition has dropped by more than 10 percent.

Results from 2016

Click here to read the full study »


Historical context

See also: Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections: 1972-2014

Uncontested elections: In 2014, 32.8 percent of Americans lived in states with an uncontested state senate election. Similarly, 40.4 percent of Americans lived in states with uncontested house elections. Primary elections were uncontested even more frequently, with 61 percent of people living in states with no contested primaries. Uncontested elections often occur in locations that are so politically one-sided that the result of an election would be a foregone conclusion regardless of whether it was contested or not.

F5 Pop. % with uncontested state legislative races.png

Open seats: In most cases, an incumbent will run for re-election, which decreases the number of open seats available. In 2014, 83 percent of the 6,057 seats up for election saw the incumbent running for re-election. The states that impose term limits on their legislatures typically see a higher percentage of open seats in a given year because a portion of incumbents in each election are forced to leave office. Overall, the number of open seats decreased from 2012 to 2014, dropping from 21.2 percent in 2012 to 17.0 percent in 2014.

Incumbent win rates: Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of elections between 1972 and 2014 documented the high propensity for incumbents to win re-election in state legislative elections. In fact, since 1972, the win rate for incumbents had not dropped below 90 percent—with the exception of 1974, when 88 percent of incumbents were re-elected to their seats. Perhaps most importantly, the win rate for incumbents generally increased over time. In 2014, 96.5 percent of incumbents were able to retain their seats. Common convention holds that incumbents are able to leverage their office to maintain their seat. However, the high incumbent win rate may actually be a result of incumbents being more likely to hold seats in districts that are considered safe for their party.

Marginal primaries: Often, competitiveness is measured by examining the rate of elections that have been won by amounts that are considered marginal (5 percent or less). During the 2014 election, 90.1 percent of primary and general election races were won by margins higher than 5 percent. Interestingly, it is usually the case that only one of the two races—primary or general—will be competitive at a time. This means that if a district's general election is competitive, typically one or more of the district's primaries were won by more than 5 percent. The reverse is also true: If a district sees a competitive primary, it is unlikely that the general election for that district will be won by less than 5 percent. Primaries often see very low voter turnout in comparison to general elections. In 2014, there were only 27 million voters for state legislative primaries, but approximately 107 million voters for the state legislative general elections.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states. No counties in Alaska are Pivot Counties.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Alaska with 51.3 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 36.6 percent. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received 5.9 percent, which was his third-best showing in a state in 2016.[62] From when it gained statehood in 1959 to 2017, Alaska voted Republican in 14 out of 15 presidential elections. The only time it voted Democratic was in 1964 when President Lyndon Johnson (D) defeated Senator Barry Goldwater (R) with 61.1 percent of the national vote.[63] From 1960 to 2016, Alaska voted for the winning presidential candidate in 60 percent of presidential elections.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Alaska. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[64][65]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 13 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 20.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 13 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 17.3 points.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 27 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 27 out of 40 state House districts in Alaska with an average margin of victory of 27.4 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on February 14, 2019"
  2. Must Read Alaska, "House committee assignments announced," February 19, 2019
  3. Changed his party affiliation from Democratic to undeclared days before he was elected speaker.
  4. Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on February 14, 2019"
  5. Anchorage Daily News, "Monthlong Alaska House deadlock ends with Rep. Edgmon elected speaker and a coalition majority," February 14, 2019
  6. Anchorage Daily News, "Governor launches plan to deeply cut Alaska state spending," February 13, 2019
  7. Twitter, "Mike Dunleavy on February 13, 2019"
  8. Seattle Times, "Alaska House remains without speaker after dramatic session," February 12, 2019
  9. Anchorage Daily News, "Apparent deal to end Alaska House leadership deadlock collapses," February 12, 2019
  10. Anchorage Daily News, "Rep. Gary Knopp agrees to break deadlock in Alaska House," February 11, 2019
  11. Anchorage Daily News, "House Democrat from Dillingham changes party affiliation to undeclared," February 12, 2019
  12. Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska House member ditches ‘Group of Eight,’ setting back effort to end deadlock," February 9, 2019
  13. Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on February 8, 2019"
  14. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, "Alaska House GOP seeks to snag a few Dems for majority," February 7, 2019
  15. Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska House speaker vote fails amid ongoing talks," February 4, 2019
  16. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, "Hopkins, LeBon push for power share in state House," February 4, 2019
  17. 17.0 17.1 Anchorage Daily News, "A coalition majority is necessary to break deadlock, Alaska House members say," January 29, 2019
  18. Twitter, "James Brooks on January 22, 2019"
  19. Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska House votes inconclusively for a speaker as deadlock enters second week," January 22, 2019
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Alaska Public Media, "House chooses Neal Foster as temporary speaker, but there’s still no majority," January 17, 2019
  21. 21.0 21.1 The Fresno Bee, "State Rep. Knopp leaving GOP caucus in bid for coalition," December 8, 2018
  22. News-Miner, "Lawmaker seeks bipartisan coalition to run Alaska House," December 10, 2018
  23. Alaska Journal of Commerce, "Senate set to work as House in disarray," January 9, 2018
  24. KTUU, "Alaska House remains disorganized as Senate prepares for session ahead," January 15, 2019
  25. KTUU, "Alaska Supreme Court denies Dodge appeal, LeBon wins House District 1," January 4, 2019
  26. Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on December 21, 2018"
  27. Wisc News, "Judge backs Alaska elections division in disputed recount," December 20, 2018
  28. KTVA, "Dunleavy selects veteran Sharon Jackson to replace Dahlstrom in Alaska House," December 20, 2018
  29. KTUU, "Republicans choose candidates for Alaska House seat," December 12, 2018
  30. The Anchorage Daily News, "Striking out on his own, legislator hopes to charter new coalition in the Alaska House," December 9, 2018
  31. Twitter, "The Alaska Landmine on December 8, 2018
  32. News-Miner, "Special master appointed to oversee House District 1 ballot appeal," December 7, 2018
  33. Webcenter 11, "House District 1 Candidate Kathryn Dodge appeals recount results," December 5, 2018
  34. KTUU, "Democrat to challenge Alaska House race results," December 5, 2018
  35. Miami Herald, "Democrat who lost Alaska House race recount plans appeal," December 5, 2018
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 Daily News-Miner, "Dodge, LeBon tied again in House race following absentee ballot count," November 21, 2018
  37. Alaska Public Media, "Pivotal House race recount now favors LeBon by 1 vote," November 30, 2018
  38. WebCenter 11, "Dodge, LeBon still tied after election certification," November 26, 2018
  39. 39.0 39.1 KTOO, "Kawasaki’s lead appears secure for state Senate, LeBon overtakes Dodge for House seat," November 16, 2018
  40. 40.0 40.1 Daily News-Miner, "Latest ballot count puts two Democrats ahead of GOP candidates in Fairbanks legislative races," November 13, 2018 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "district1" defined multiple times with different content
  41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 KTOO, "House member named as next speaker lacks votes he needs to be elected," November 8, 2018
  42. Juneau Empire, "Republicans near total control of Alaska government," November 7, 2018
  43. KTVA, "Democrats take led in two Fairbanks races," November 13, 2018
  44. Must Read Alaska, "Heads and Tails: Juneau’s House of Cards, circa 1981," July 6, 2017
  45. Anchorage Daily News, "A House divided: Legislature risks repeating chaos of 1981," December 22, 2018
  46. Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on November 21, 2018
  47. Twitter, "Matt Acuna Buxton on November 21, 2018
  48. Alaska Division of Elections, "2018 Primary Candidate List," accessed June 14, 2018
  49. 49.0 49.1 Excludes unopposed elections
  50. Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
  51. A coalition between House Democrats, three Republican representatives, and two independent representatives gave effective control of the chamber to Democrats.
  52. The number of state legislative seats available for analysis varied, with as many as 7,795 and as few as 6,835.
  53. Lyndon Johnson's (D) first term began in November 1963 after the death of President John F. Kennedy (D), who was first elected in 1960. Before Johnson had his first midterm in 1966, he was re-elected president in 1964.
  54. Gerald Ford's (R) first term began in August 1974 following the resignation of President Richard Nixon (R), who was first elected in 1968 and was re-elected in 1972. Because Ford only served for two full months before facing the electorate, this election is classified as Nixon's second midterm.
  55. Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.040," accessed March 24, 2014
  56. Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.030," accessed October 10, 2023
  57. Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.25.050," accessed October 10, 2023
  58. 58.0 58.1 Secretary of State Division of Elections Candidate Information, "Write-in Candidates," accessed October 10, 2023
  59. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  60. JUSTIA US Law, "Alaska Statutes, Sec. 24.05.080," accessed November 1, 2021
  61. Alaska’s Constitution, "A Citizen’s Guide," accessed November 1, 2021
  62. Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, "2016 Presidential General Election Data - National," accessed May 31, 2017
  63. 270towin.com, "Historical Presidential Elections," accessed May 31, 2017
  64. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  65. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017


Current members of the Alaska House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Cathy Tilton
Majority Leader:Dan Saddler
Minority Leader:Calvin Schrage
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Republican Party (22)
Democratic Party (13)
Nonpartisan (4)
Undeclared (1)