2022 Alaska Senate elections
← 2020 November 8, 2022 2024 →
19 of 20 seats in the Alaska Senate
11 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Peter Micciche (retired) Tom Begich
(retired)
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since January 19, 2021 January 15, 2019
Leader's seat O District J District
Last election 13 7
Seats before 13 7
Seats won 11 9
Seat change Decrease 2 Increase 2
Popular vote 153,603 66,358
Percentage 63.76% 27.55%
Results:
     Republican hold
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
Senate President before election

Peter Micciche
Republican

Elected Senate President

Gary Stevens
Republican (Coalition)

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The 2022 Alaska Senate elections took place on November 8, 2022, with the primary elections being held on August 16, 2022.[1] State senators serve four-year terms in the Alaska Senate, with half of the seats normally up for election every two years.[2] However, because most districts were greatly changed in redistricting, elections were held for 19 of the 20 seats; the only exception is District T, represented by Democrat Donny Olson, which was mostly unchanged in redistricting and thus did not have an election. Some senators were elected to serve four-year terms, while others would serve shortened two-year terms.[3]

Following the previous election in 2020, Republicans had control of the Alaska Senate with 13 seats to Democrats' seven seats. One Democrat caucused with the Republicans, giving them a governing majority of 14 seats.

After the 2022 elections, Republicans lost two seats to Democrats, reducing their majority to 11-9. However, a coalition government was formed with 8 Republicans and all 9 Democrats.

Background

In 2020, Alaskan voters approved Ballot Measure 2, an initiative to implement a nonpartisan blanket top-four primary with a single, open primary where candidates from all parties are listed on the ballot and the top four vote getters advance to the general election.[4] The general election is then resolved using instant-runoff voting, where voters rank the candidates and the candidates receiving the lowest votes are eliminated one by one until one candidate has a majority. The first elections using the new system was the 2022 election cycle. As of the close of candidate filing, none of the elections for the Alaska Senate had more than four candidates.

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[5] Likely R May 19, 2022

Overview

Primary elections

2022 Alaska State Senate election
Primary election – August 16, 2022
Party Votes Percentage Candidates Advancing to general Seats contesting
Republican 105,695 65.01 29 29 16
Democratic 47,461 29.19 13 13 11
Independent 5,869 3.61 3 3 3
Alaska Independence 2,344 1.44 2 2 2
Veterans of Alaska 1,217 0.75 1 1 1
Totals 162,586 100.00 48 48 —

Two Republicans and one Democrat withdrew before the general election.[6]

General election

2022 Alaska Senate election
General election — November 8, 2022
Party Votes % Seats not up Seats up Candidates Before After +/–
Republican 154,004 64.75 0 13 27 13 11 Decrease 2
Democratic 68,181 28.67 1 6 12 7 9 Increase 2
Independent 8,205 3.45 — — 3 0 0 Steady
Alaska Independence 3,049 1.28 — — 2 0 0 Steady
Veterans of Alaska 2,378 1.00 — — 1 0 0 Steady
Write-ins 2,031 0.85 — — — 0 0 Steady
Total 237,848 100.00 1 19 45 20 20 Steady

Summary of results

District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
A Bert Stedman Rep Bert Stedman Rep
B Jesse Kiehl Dem Jesse Kiehl Dem
C Gary Stevens Rep Gary Stevens Rep
D Peter Micciche Rep Jesse Bjorkman Rep
E Roger Holland Rep Cathy Giessel Rep
Lora Reinbold
F Josh Revak Rep James D. Kaufman Rep
G Elvi Gray-Jackson Dem Elvi Gray-Jackson Dem
H Mia Costello Rep Matt Claman Dem
Natasha von Imhof
I Vacant Löki Tobin Dem
J Tom Begich Dem Forrest Dunbar Dem
K Bill Wielechowski Dem Bill Wielechowski Dem
L Vacant Kelly Merrick Rep
M Shelley Hughes Rep Shelley Hughes Rep
N David Wilson Rep David Wilson Rep
O Mike Shower Rep Mike Shower Rep
P Scott Kawasaki Dem Scott Kawasaki Dem
Q Robert Myers Jr. Rep Robert Myers Jr. Rep
R Click Bishop Rep Click Bishop Rep
S Lyman Hoffman Dem[a] Lyman Hoffman Dem
T Donny Olson Dem Donny Olson Dem

Retiring incumbents

Detailed results

District A

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bert Stedman (incumbent) 5,537 68.9
Republican Mike Sheldon 2,505 31.1
Total votes 8,042 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bert Stedman (incumbent) 8,902 68.8
Republican Mike Sheldon 3,941 30.5
Write-in Write-ins 98 0.8
Total votes 12,941 100.0
Republican hold

District B

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jesse Kiehl (incumbent) 8,921 100.0
Total votes 8,921 100.0
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jesse Kiehl (incumbent) 12,724 95.8
Write-in Write-ins 554 4.2
Total votes 13,278 100.0
Democratic hold

District C

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gary Stevens (incumbent) 6,208 63.2
Republican Heath Smith 2,634 26.8
Republican Walter Jones 984 10.0
Total votes 9,826 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gary Stevens (incumbent) 7,867 56.3
Republican Heath Smith 4,353 31.1
Republican Walter Jones 1,623 11.6
Write-in Write-ins 132 0.9
Total votes 13,975 100.0
Republican hold

District D

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tuckerman Babcock 5,157 49.3
Republican Jesse Bjorkman 3,754 35.9
Independent Andy Cizek 1,543 14.8
Total votes 10,454 100.00
General election[13]
Party Candidate First Choice Round 1 Round 2
Votes % Transfer Votes % Transfer Votes %
Republican Jesse Bjorkman 6,950 45.8 +122 7,072 46.6 +532 7,604 53.6
Republican Tuckerman Babcock 6,311 41.6 +20 6,331 41.7 +263 6,594 46.4
Independent Andy Cizek 1,768 11.7 +19 1,787 11.8 -1,787 Eliminated
Write-in 140 0.9 -140 Eliminated
Total votes 15,169 15,190 14,198
Blank or inactive ballots 1,046 +992 2,038
Republican hold

District E

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cathy Giessel 4,441 35.6
Democratic Roselynn Cacy 4,195 33.7
Republican Roger Holland (incumbent) 3,823 30.7
Total votes 12,459 100.00
General election [14]
Party Candidate First Choice Round 1 Round 2
Votes % Transfer Votes % Transfer Votes %
Republican Cathy Giessel 5,611 33.6 +41 5,652 33.8 +2,229 7,881 57.0
Republican Roger Holland (incumbent) 5,521 33.1 +11 5,532 33.1 +417 5,949 43.0
Democratic Roselynn Cacy 5,490 32.9 +28 5,518 33.0 -5,518 Eliminated
Write-in 58 0.4 -58 Eliminated
Total votes 16,680 16,702 13,830
Blank or inactive ballots 735 +2,872 3,607
Republican hold

District F

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James D. Kaufman 5,453 54.2
Democratic Janice Park 4,612 45.8
Total votes 10,065 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James D. Kaufman 7,795 54.5
Democratic Janice Park 6,476 45.3
Write-in Write-ins 29 0.2
Total votes 14,300 100.0
Republican hold

District G

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Elvi Gray-Jackson (incumbent) 4,552 57.5
Republican Marcus Sanders 3,365 42.5
Total votes 7,917 100.0
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Elvi Gray-Jackson (incumbent) 6,325 56.5
Republican Marcus Sanders 4,832 43.1
Write-in Write-ins 42 0.4
Total votes 11,199 100.0
Democratic hold

District H

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Matt Claman 6,022 52.6
Republican Mia Costello (incumbent) 5,424 47.4
Total votes 11,446 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Matt Claman 7,868 51.8
Republican Mia Costello (incumbent) 7,271 47.9
Write-in Write-ins 51 0.3
Total votes 15,190 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District I

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Löki Tobin 3,435 68.0
Independent Heather Herndon 1,615 32.0
Total votes 5,050 100.0
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Löki Tobin 5,011 66.4
Independent Heather Herndon 2,428 32.2
Write-in Write-ins 105 1.4
Total votes 7,544 100.0
Democratic hold

District J

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Forrest Dunbar 2,947 49.4
Republican Andrew Satterfield 1,904 31.9
Democratic Geran Tarr 916 15.3
Democratic Drew Cason 201 3.4
Total votes 5,968 100.00

Democrat Drew Cason withdrew prior to the general election.[15]

General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Forrest Dunbar 4,306 50.0
Republican Andrew Satterfield 2,813 32.7
Democratic Geran Tarr 1,443 16.8
Write in Write-ins 45 0.5
Total votes 8,607 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

District K

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Wielechowski (incumbent) 4,131 56.6
Republican John Cunningham 3,171 43.4
Total votes 7,302 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Wielechowski (incumbent) 6,267 58.0
Republican John Cunningham 4,504 41.7
Write-in Write-ins 35 0.3
Total votes 10,806 100.0
Democratic hold

District L

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kelly Merrick 5,324 53.1
Republican Ken McCarty 2,872 28.7
Republican Joe Wright 1,132 11.3
Republican Clayton Trotter 691 6.9
Total votes 10,019 100.00

Republicans Joe Wright and Clayton Trotter withdrew prior to the general election.[16]

General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kelly Merrick 8,497 57.9
Republican Ken McCarty 6,024 41.0
Write-in Write-ins 156 1.1
Total votes 14,677 100.0
Republican hold

District M

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Shelley Hughes (incumbent) 7,707 75.7
Democratic Jim Cooper 2,479 24.3
Total votes 10,186 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Shelley Hughes (incumbent) 11,257 75.8
Democratic Jim Cooper 3,561 24.0
Write-in Write-ins 32 0.2
Total votes 14,850 100.0
Republican hold

District N

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Wilson (incumbent) 3,585 46.4
Republican Steven Wright 2,123 27.5
Republican Scott Clayton 2,025 26.2
Total votes 7,733 100.00
General election[17]
Party Candidate First Choice Round 1 Round 2
Votes % Transfer Votes % Transfer Votes %
Republican David Wilson (incumbent) 5,133 44.5 +37 5,170 44.8 +954 6,124 58.7
Republican Steven Wright 3,347 29.0 +38 3,385 29.4 +926 4,311 41.3
Republican Scott Clayton 2,923 25.3 +54 2,977 25.8 -2,977 Eliminated
Write-in 141 1.2 -141 Eliminated
Total votes 11,544 11,532 10,435
Blank or inactive ballots 2,244 +1,097 3,341
Republican hold

District O

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Massie 5,007 53.9
Republican Mike Shower (incumbent) 4,288 46.1
Total votes 9,295 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Shower (incumbent) 7,396 51.8
Republican Doug Massie 6,712 47.0
Write-in Write-ins 169 1.2
Total votes 14,277 100.0
Republican hold

District P

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Scott Kawasaki (incumbent) 2,664 48.8
Republican Jim Matherly 2,426 44.4
Republican Alex Jafre 370 6.8
Total votes 5,460 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Scott Kawasaki (incumbent) 4,274 51.1
Republican Jim Matherly 3,509 42.0
Republican Alex Jafre 539 6.4
Write in Write-ins 35 0.4
Total votes 8,357 100.00
Democratic hold

District Q

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Myers Jr. (incumbent) 5,506 62.9
Independent John Bennett 2,711 31.0
Independence Arthur Serkov 539 6.2
Total votes 8,756 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Myers Jr. (incumbent) 8,119 62.6
Independent John Bennett 4,009 30.9
Independence Arthur Serkov 774 6.0
Write-in Write-ins 74 0.6
Total votes 12,976 100.0
Republican hold

District R

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Click Bishop (incumbent) 5,736 56.9
Republican Elijah Verhagen 2,543 25.2
Independence Bert Williams 1,805 17.9
Total votes 10,084 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Click Bishop (incumbent) 8,297 56.7
Republican Elijah Verhagen 3,957 27.1
Independence Bert Williams 2,275 15.6
Write-in Write-ins 95 0.6
Total votes 14,624 100.0
Republican hold

District S

Nonpartisan primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lyman Hoffman (incumbent) 2,386 66.2
Veterans of Alaska Willy Keppel 1,217 33.8
Total votes 3,603 100.00
General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lyman Hoffman (incumbent) 4,436 64.7
Veterans of Alaska Willy Keppel 2,378 34.7
Write-in Write-ins 40 0.6
Total votes 6,854 100.0
Democratic hold

Aftermath

Negotiations for a governing coalition in the state senate occurred after ranked-choice votes in the state were tabulated. The bipartisan coalition was announced two days later on November 25, with eight Republicans and nine Democrats leading the new Senate majority. They stated that their top priorities would be energy costs, education, and the economy.[18] Incoming Senate President Gary Stevens also remarked that the bipartisan coalition was necessary to pass responsible budgets and respond to calls for "more moderation" by the electorate.[19]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sen. Hoffman has caucused with the Republican majority since 2015.

References

  1. ^ "Election Calendar". Alaska Division of Elections. Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "About the Legislative Branch". The Alaska State Legislature. The Alaska State Legislature. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  3. ^ Kitchenman, Andrew; KTOO, Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media &; Kitchenman, Andrew (November 11, 2021). "Alaska Redistricting Board finishes work to adopt maps; opponents say courts could toss out portions". KTOO.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Piper, Kelsey (November 19, 2020). "Alaska voters adopt ranked-choice voting in ballot initiative". Vox. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  5. ^ Jacobson, Louis (May 19, 2022). "The Battle for State Legislatures". Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  6. ^ Maguire, Sean (October 12, 2022). "11 Alaska legislative candidates withdraw from the general election". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Senator Lora Reinbold Will Not Seek Reelection". Alaska Native News. May 27, 2022.
  8. ^ Maguire, Sean. "Alaska general election filing deadline passes with 10 incumbents not seeking reelection". alaskasnewssource.com.
  9. ^ "Anchorage Sen. Natasha von Imhof will not run for reelection or other office in 2022". Anchorage Daily News.
  10. ^ Samuels, Iris; Herz, Nathaniel (June 2, 2022). "Senate minority leader plans retirement as Alaska's election filing deadline arrives". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  11. ^ "Official Results" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. August 16, 2022.
  12. ^ "Official Results" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 18, 2022.
  13. ^ "RCV Detailed Report | General Election | State of Alaska | Senate District D" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 30, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  14. ^ "RCV Detailed Report | General Election | State of Alaska | Senate District E" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 30, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  15. ^ Maguire, Sean (August 23, 2022). "4 Alaska legislative candidates withdraw from general election". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Brooks, James (September 7, 2022). "Legislative primary results encouraged some Alaska House and Senate candidates to quit". Alaska Beacon.
  17. ^ "RCV Detailed Report | General Election | State of Alaska | Senate District N" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 30, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  18. ^ Sabbatini, Mark (November 25, 2022). "Bipartisan majority formed for new state Senate". Juneau Empire. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  19. ^ Downing, Suzanne (November 25, 2022). "Senate Democrat-dominated majority announces formation, and Sen. Stevens, incoming Senate president, says he doubts they'll overturn ranked choice voting". Must Read Alaska. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.

External links

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