The 2018 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. In the primaries for recognized political parties, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately. The winners of each respective primary for governor and lieutenant governor then become a joint ticket in the general election for their political party. Incumbent independent governor

Bill Walker Bill Walker may refer to: Australian rules football * Bill A. Walker (1886–1934), Australian rules footballer for Essendon * Bill Walker (Australian footballer, born 1883) (1883–1971), Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy * Bill J. V. Wal ...

was running for reelection in what was originally a three-way race between Walker, Republican nominee Mike Dunleavy, a former State Senator, and Democratic nominee

Mark Begich Mark Peter Begich ( ; born March 30, 1962) is an American politician who served as a United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009. Born in An ...

, a former U.S. Senator. However, Walker dropped out on October 19, 2018, and endorsed Begich. In spite of Walker dropping out, Dunleavy defeated Begich in what would become the only gubernatorial gain by a Republican candidate in 2018. Independent candidates for governor and lieutenant governor may form a ticket that will appear on the general election ballot, provided that both candidates on the ticket collect enough valid petition signatures, as mandated by the Alaska Division of Elections.

Democratic–Libertarian–Independence primary

Candidates from the

Alaska Democratic Party The Alaska Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in Alaska, headquartered in Anchorage. It is one of two major parties in Alaska, alongside the Alaska Republican Party. The Democratic Party holds Alaska's at-large congressio ...

Alaska Libertarian Party The Libertarian Party of Alaska is the affiliate of the Libertarian Party (LP) in Alaska, headquartered in Anchorage. It is the third-largest active party in Alaska and has the highest percentage of registered Libertarians of any state. Since ...

and

Alaskan Independence Party The Alaskan Independence Party (AKIP) is an Alaskan nationalist political party that advocates an in-state referendum which would include the option of Alaska becoming an independent country. The party also advocates positions similar to those ...

appear on the same ballot, with the highest-placed candidate from each party receiving that party's nomination. In October 2017 the AKDP sued for the right to allow non-Democrats to compete for and win the Democratic nomination, which was ultimately decided in their favor in April 2018. This move was widely thought to benefit incumbent Gov. Bill Walker, to foreclose the possibility of a Democratic nominee splitting the vote with Walker against a Republican nominee. However, with the entry of former senator

into the race, Walker withdrew from the Democratic primary and forged ahead with a fully independent bid for reelection.

Governor

Declared

(Democratic), former U.S. Senator * William S. "Billy" Toien (Libertarian), Libertarian candidate for Alaska Governor in

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

Polling

;with Mark Begich

Endorsements

Results

Lieutenant governor

Declared

* Debra Call (Democratic), Cook Inlet Tribal Council Board of Directors Representative

Withdrawn

Edgar Blatchford Edgar Blatchford (born November 24, 1950) is an American politician, academic, and attorney, and perennial candidate who served as the mayor of Seward, Alaska. Blatchford sought the 2016 Democratic Party nomination for United States Senate, losin ...

(Democratic), former mayor of Seward

Results

Republican primary

Governor

Nominated

* Mike Dunleavy, educator and former state senator

Eliminated in primary

* Dorian Colbry * Thomas A. "Tom" Gordon *Gerald Heikes, perennial candidate *Merica Hlatcu *Michael Sheldon *

Mead Treadwell Louis Mead Treadwell II (born March 21, 1956) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 11th lieutenant governor of Alaska from 2010 to 2014. Treadwell also served as chair of the United States Arctic Research Commission from 20 ...

, former lieutenant governor

Withdrawn

Mike Chenault Charles Michael Chenault (born February 25, 1957) is an American politician in the state of Alaska. Chenault served as a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2001 to 2019, representing portions of the Kenai Peninsula Bor ...

, state representative and former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives * Scott Hawkins, businessman

Declined

, incumbent

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

Governor (running for re-election as an Independent) *

Robert Gillam Robert Byron Gillam (July 7, 1946 – September 12, 2018) was an American investor. He was the founder and chairman of McKinley Capital Management, an asset management firm, until his death in 2018. Early life Robert Gillam graduated from the ...

, businessman *

Loren Leman Loren Dwight Leman (born December 2, 1950) is an American politician who served as the eighth lieutenant governor of Alaska, from 2002 to 2006. Before that, he served in both houses of the state legislature, and was elected as the Senate Majorit ...

, former lieutenant governor *

Anna MacKinnon Anna MacKinnon (formerly Fairclough; born November 11, 1957) is an American Republican politician who is formerly a member of the Alaska Senate, representing District G from 2013 to 2018. Prior to that, she served in the Alaska House of Repre ...

, state senator (endorsed Mike Dunleavy) * Joe Miller, former magistrate judge and

perennial candidate A perennial candidate is a political candidate who frequently runs for elected office and rarely, if ever, wins. Perennial candidates' existence lies in the fact that in some countries, there are no laws that limit a number of times a person can ...

Sean Parnell Sean Randall Parnell (born November 19, 1962) is an American attorney and politician. He succeeded Sarah Palin in July 2009 to become the tenth governor of Alaska and served until 2014.governor of Alaska A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

(endorsed Mike Dunleavy) *

Frank Murkowski Frank Hughes Murkowski (born March 28, 1933) is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 until 2002 and the eighth governor of Alaska from 2002 until 2006. In his 2006 re ...

, former governor of Alaska and U.S. Senator *

Peter Micciche Peter A. Micciche ( ; born December 17, 1961, in Valley Stream, New York) is an American politician and a Republican member of the Alaska Senate since January 15, 2013, representing District O. Micciche was previously the mayor of Soldotna, Alas ...

, state senator (running for re-election to state senate) *

Dan Sullivan Dan, Danny, or Daniel Sullivan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Daniel J. Sullivan (born 1940), American film and theater director * Daniel G. Sullivan, American screenwriter * Dan Sullivan (musician), indie rock musician * Dan Panic, Amer ...

, former

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

and nominee for lieutenant governor in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

(endorsed Mike Dunleavy) *

Ben Stevens Benjamin Aavan Stevens (March 18, 1959 – October 13, 2022) was an American politician and political advisor who served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Alaska, Mike Dunleavy. He previously served as the President of the Alaska State S ...

, former President of the Alaska State Senate, son of former U.S. Senator, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, Solicitor of the Interior Department & U.S. Attorney

Ted Stevens Theodore Fulton Stevens Sr. (November 18, 1923 – August 9, 2010) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Alaska from 1968 to 2009. He was the longest-serving Republican Senator in history at the time he left o ...

Endorsements

Polling

Results

2018 AK gubernatorial Republican primary

Lieutenant governor

Declared

* Lynn Gattis, former state representative and candidate for the state senate in 2016 * Edie Grunwald, retired air force colonel and former human resources director for the

Alaska National Guard The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs manages military and veterans affairs for the U.S. state of Alaska. It comprises a number of subdepartments, including the Alaska National Guard, Veterans Affairs, the Division of Homeland Sec ...

* Sharon Jackson, activist and former congressional staffer * Kevin Meyer, state senator and former president of the

Alaska Senate The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or rejecting gub ...

* Gary Stevens, state senator * Stephen Wright, air force veteran

Declined

* David Wilson, state senator * Glen Thompson,

Ketchikan Gateway Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census its population was 13,948, up from 13,477 in 2010. The borough seat is Ketchikan. The borough is the second most populous borough in Southeast Al ...

Assemblyman

Results

Independents

Governor

Withdrew

(Independent), incumbent governor

Lieutenant governor

Withdrew

Byron Mallott Byron Ivar Mallott (April 6, 1943 – May 8, 2020) was an American politician, elder, tribal activist and business executive from the state of Alaska. Mallott was an Alaska Native leader of Tlingit heritage and the leader of the Kwaash Ké K ...

(Democratic), incumbent lieutenant governor until October 16 * Valerie Davidson (Independent), incumbent lieutenant governor since October 16

General election

Campaign

candidate and incumbent governor

announced on October 19 that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Mark Begich, three days after Walker's running mate and incumbent lieutenant governor

resigned from office (and amid low polling numbers just three weeks before election day). However, Walker and Mallott still remained on the ballot as the deadline to withdraw was on September 4.

Debates

Predictions

Endorsements

Polling

;with Bill Walker (campaign suspended), Mike Dunleavy, and Mark Begich ;with Mark Begich and Mike Dunleavy ;with Bill Walker and Mike Dunleavy ;with Bill Walker and Mark Begich

Results

Notes

References

External links

Candidates
at

Vote Smart Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected officials in si ...

Candidates
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

;Official gubernatorial campaign websites
Mark Begich (D) for GovernorMike Dunleavy (R) for Governor
;Official lieutenant gubernatorial campaign websites
Kevin Meyer (R) for Lieutenant Governor
;Alaska Division of Elections
Unofficial Election Results - Nov. 2018
{{2018 United States elections

Gubernatorial A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

Mark Begich