Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


How do I register to vote?
You can register to vote in Alaska by completing a Voter Registration Application and presenting it in person to the Division of Elections, a voter registrar in your community, a city or borough clerk, or a voter registration agency (DMV, Health and Social Services, Community and Economic Development, recruitment offices of the armed forces of the United States located in Alaska). You may also simply mail it to a Division of Elections office.

Voter Registration Application / Check Status

Did you know: When you complete your Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) application, you are automatically registered to vote? Learn more HERE.


I moved and need to update my voter registration record. How do I do that?
You can change your registration record on the same form that is used for an original registration. See the previous question for more information.


What is the deadline for registering to vote in an election?
30 days before an election. One exception is for an Incorporation Election, in which a voter must be registered 30 days before the Director of Elections signs the Order and Notice of Election.


How long do I have to live in Alaska to register to vote?
If you are in Alaska, you can register to vote as soon as you arrive as long as you intend to remain here and have the intent to return when you leave. However, you cannot vote for state or local candidates or issues until you have been registered for 30 days.

If you are registering by mail from outside Alaska, you must provide proof of Alaska residency (for example, a current Alaska driver’s license, fish and game license, military leave and earnings statement that identifies Alaska as the applicant’s state of legal residence). The document must be in the applicant’s name.


Who can vote?
A person may vote at any election who:

  • is a citizen of the United States,
  • is 18 years of age or older
  • has been a resident of the state and of the election district in which the person seeks to vote for at least 30 days just before the election
  • has registered before the election registration deadline
  • is not registered to vote in another jurisdiction.

How do I become an Alaska resident?
You ARE a resident for voting purposes if you are in Alaska with the intent to remain here and have the intent to return when you leave, and are not registered to vote in another state or are willing to cancel that registration. This DOES NOT mean that you meet residency requirements for other state agencies and programs. Other agencies or organizations can have different criteria to define Alaska residency.


Can I register to vote before I am 18?
You can register 90 days before you turn 18, but you must be eighteen on Election Day or before in order to vote.


Do I have to register to vote to receive a Permanent Fund Dividend?
No, but being registered to vote helps establish Alaska residency.


What is my district and precinct number?
The numbers are shown on your voter ID card; district number followed by your precinct number.


What is my voter number?
This is a unique number assigned only to you and can be found on your voter ID card.


I can’t remember when I first registered to vote.
Contact the regional election office in your area and they can research your voter record.