2026 Elections: Municipal and Regional Educational Attendance Area
The October 6 Municipal and Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA) elections are quickly approaching. These local elections determine who represents our communities on school boards, city councils, borough assemblies, and other local governing bodies.
Local elected officials make decisions that directly affect our communities. Borough Assembly members help establish borough-wide policies, services, budgets, and taxation; City Council members oversee municipal ordinances and operations; and School Board members help guide district education policy, budgets, and administration.
Alaska Native voices are an important part of the decisions that shape our communities. Make a plan to vote and make your voice heard on or before October 6!
REAA Elections
REAA elections are held in Alaska’s unorganized boroughs and are administered by the Alaska Division of Elections. REAA school boards govern public school districts serving communities throughout rural Alaska.
The 2026 REAA Election is Tuesday, October 6, with school board seats up for election in districts across the state, including several communities in the TCC region.
Learn more here: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/reaa
Municipal Elections
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Regular Municipal Election will also be held Tuesday, October 6.
This year, voters in the Fairbanks North Star Borough will elect members of the Borough Assembly, School Board and Interior Alaska Natural Gas Utility Board, along with City Council seats in Fairbanks and North Pole. Municipal elections are nonpartisan.
Voters will also see three borough-wide propositions on the ballot addressing the Borough’s tax revenue cap, the date of future regular municipal elections, and the method used to count ballots.
Learn more here: https://www.fnsb.gov/elections
How Much Does My Vote Count?
Did you know that in 2018 in House District 1, Bart Lebon defeated Kathryn Dodge by one vote? Or that in 2020 in House District 27, Liz Snyder won her race against Lance Pruitt by 11 votes? And in 2016 in House District 40, in a Primary race between Dean Westlake and Ben Nageak, Westlake beat the incumbent Pruitt by just 8 votes, and went on to run in the General Election.
Alaskan voters have demonstrated the power to shift the balance with just a singular vote, which is why in our elections, every single vote counts.
Voting your values is using your voice in the most impactful way possible in Alaska, and we have a lot to fight for. Get out the Native vote this year and every year!
2026 General Election
Alaska’s General Election will be held Tuesday, November 3. Voters will decide races for federal and state offices, including Governor and Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and seats in the Alaska State Legislature.
The race for governor is one of the major statewide contests on this year’s ballot. Because Governor Mike Dunleavy is completing his second consecutive term and is not seeking another term, Alaska voters will elect a new Governor and Lieutenant Governor in November.
The Governor serves as the State’s Chief Executive and is responsible for administering state government, proposing budgets, signing or vetoing legislation, appointing leaders to state departments and boards, and working with the Alaska Legislature on statewide policy and funding priorities.
The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration for the General Election is October 4. Early, absentee in-person, electronic transmission, and special-needs voting begins October 19.
Before voting, Alaskans are encouraged to review their sample ballot and learn about the candidates and issues that will appear on their ballot.
For official information about voter registration, candidates, sample ballots, polling locations, absentee voting, and election deadlines, visit the Alaska Division of Elections.
Early & Absentee In-Person Voting
Early and absentee in-person voting begins on October 19 and goes through Election Day. Early voting and absentee-in-person locations open beginning 15 days before Election Day, although specific locations, dates, and hours vary by community. Early voting locations verify eligibility when you vote; absentee-in-person ballots are placed in an affidavit envelope and later reviewed for voter eligibility.
Find your early voting place here: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/voter-information/absentee-and-early-voting/#In-Person
Electronic/Online Delivery Absentee Voting
Alaska also allows voters to receive an absentee ballot electronically. This requires an email address, computer, and printer.
Applications open on October 19 and close on Election Day. After the application is received, voters generally receive their ballots and voting instructions within 24-48 hours.
Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polls open at 7:00am and close at 8:00pm.
Make Your Plan to Vote
Whether you plan to vote early, absentee, or at the polls on Election Day, taking a few steps ahead of time can help make the voting process easier. Check your voter registration, review your sample ballot, learn about the candidates and ballot measures, and make sure you know where and when you plan to vote.
For the most current information about voting locations, absentee voting, sample ballots, and election deadlines, visit the Alaska Division of Elections: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/.
Important Dates to Remember
October 4: Deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration
October 19: Early and absentee in-person voting begins
November 3: Election Day; polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
TCC Supports Protection of Ranked Choice Voting
TCC supports Alaska’s open primary and ranked choice voting system and believes it gives Alaskans greater choice and a stronger voice in selecting the people who represent us.
In 2024, the TCC Executive Board approved a resolution supporting the system, citing its importance to Tribal and rural voters. Again in 2026, our Board reaffirmed our position on ranked choice voting in opposition to Ballot Measure 2, which will appear on the General Election ballot this year.
TCC believes open primaries give voters more opportunities to support candidates who represent their priorities, regardless of political party, while ranked choice voting encourages candidates to appeal to a broader range of Alaskans.
For Interior Alaska Native communities, representation matters. Decisions made by elected officials can have significant impacts on issues including subsistence, public safety, infrastructure, healthcare, and the well-being of rural communities. TCC supports an election system that provides voters with more choices, creates diversity, and encourages elected leaders to work collaboratively across political and geographic differences.
We support a NO vote on Ballot Measure 2!
Alaska Election Terms
Knowing election terms helps us understand the voting process and empowers us to be more confident voters!
Incumbent: The person who currently holds an elected office and is running to keep that position.
Challenger: A candidate who is running for an office that is currently held by someone else.
Unseated: When a Challenger wins an election against an Incumbent, the Incumbent is unseated.
Open Primary: Alaska’s Primary Election system, where all candidates run in the same primary election – regardless of party affiliation. All registered voters can vote for any candidate.
Closed Primary: Alaska’s former election system, where voters could only vote for candidates from the political party they are registered with. In a closed primary, both the incumbent and the challenger are also registered with the same political party.