Interior Native Vote pushes turnout for the Aug. 18 primary

Alaska voters can cast primary ballots now. Early and absentee in-person voting opened Aug. 3, and Fairbanks is among the communities with early voting locations, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.

A recent Interior Native Vote candidate mixer in Fairbanks drew a big turnout, Alison Muñoz, a program coordinator at Tanana Chiefs Conference, said on the organization's Aug. 10 broadcast. "Over 200 people attended last week's candidate mixer where they were able to meet the candidates, learn more about what will be on the August ballot, check their voter registration, and register to vote," she said. The event appears to have been an Aug. 5 mixer at the Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall.

Interior Native Vote is a nonpartisan partnership of Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Fairbanks Native Association and Doyon, Limited. It aims to increase voter turnout among Alaska Natives, Doyon shareholders and Tribal members. An earlier mixer on July 20 drew candidates for state and local races, with prize drawings for attendees who spoke with multiple candidates.

Alaska's 2026 primary uses a top-four system. Candidates from all parties appear on one common ballot, and the four who receive the most votes advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

The outreach targets a real barrier. Alaska Native people make up about 20% of the state's population, and voting-access research has documented obstacles for Native voters, including distance to polling locations, non-traditional mailing addresses and limited broadband.

Polling locations are listed at elections.alaska.gov. Polls are open 7 am to 8 pm on Aug. 18.