Alaska voters decide Senate, governor as national midterms unfold

Anchorage residents and voters across the state are casting ballots on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in a midterm election that determines the balance of power in Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Polls in Alaska are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, a window that spans both the Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian time zones. According to Ballotpedia, anyone in line when polls close is entitled to vote, and voters are encouraged to check vote.gov for their specific polling place and identification requirements.

Alaska voters are deciding on a U.S. Senate seat where incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan is running for re-election. The state also has an open governor’s race with no incumbent on the ballot. The parties appearing on the ballot for the Senate race include the Democratic, Libertarian, No Party Affiliation, Republican, and Undeclared options. For the governor’s race, the ballot features the Democratic, Nonpartisan, and Republican parties. Every U.S. House seat in the state is also on the ballot, alongside various state and local offices and measures that vary by county.

The national picture involves 35 Senate seats, comprising 33 regular elections and two special elections for the remainder of the terms held by Marco Rubio in Florida and JD Vance in Ohio. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats hold 45, plus two independents who caucus with Democrats. According to Ballotpedia, Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a majority, whereas Republicans can afford to lose only two seats. Eleven senators, four Democrats and seven Republicans, are not running again, and winners will begin their six-year terms on January 3, 2027.

Ballotpedia identifies 13 Senate races as battlegrounds. These include Alaska, where the 2024 presidential margin was Trump plus 13.1 points, and Florida, a special election where Trump won by 13.1 points. Other contested seats are in Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. Ratings from Cook, Decision Desk, Inside Elections, and Sabato as of October 27 describe Maine as a toss-up on all four services, while Iowa is rated a toss-up or tilt Republican.

Key matchups in these races include North Carolina, where former Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley for the seat of retiring Senator Thom Tillis. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff is running against Republican Representative Mike Collins. Ohio features a contest between Democratic former Senator Sherrod Brown and Republican Senator Jon Husted. Michigan sees former Representative Mike Rogers facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, while Texas involves Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico.

In Alaska, the race is viewed as competitive, with ratings ranging from toss-up to lean Democratic. The Associated Press notes that the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result in the state. This legal action adds a layer of complexity to the local race, which is part of a broader national effort by Republicans to hold the Senate while Democrats seek to gain control of at least one chamber of Congress.

The Associated Press describes the election as a referendum on the president's second term, with voters struggling with high prices and anger over an unpopular war with Iran. AP-NORC polling indicates that 35 percent of U.S. adults approve of Trump's job performance, and about 7 in 10 say the country is heading in the wrong direction. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing early vote totals from four years ago in many closely watched states.

Republicans are bracing for the possibility of losing the House, where all 435 seats are up for grabs. Democrats need a net gain of three districts for a majority, while Republicans can lose no more than two. The AP reports that one or two seats could tip either chamber. Democrats are described as cautiously optimistic, while Republicans have focused on turnout, with RNC Chairman Joe Gruters stating that everything depends on turning out voters.

The 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history, with Republican committees outraising and outspending Democratic committees at the committee level. However, at the candidate level, Democrats outraised their opponents. According to an AP analysis of AdImpact data, 88.1 percent of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts that Trump won in 2024, including more than $850 million in areas where he won by 10 points or more.

Voters in Alaska and across the nation are weighing these stakes as they cast ballots. In the governor's race, Democrats hope to hold a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades, a position Republicans have held since 2010. The outcome of these races will shape the legislative agenda for the next two years, including potential investigations and oversight efforts if Democrats gain control of either chamber.

As polls close at 8 p.m. in Alaska, election officials are working to ensure that all ballots are counted on time. The U.S. Postal Service has added hours, staff, and special lines to facilitate the processing of mail ballots. Wall Street is also watching the results, with Reuters noting that the outcome could impact investor concerns regarding AI spending and debt ceiling negotiations. The final tallies will determine who holds the balance of power in Washington for the remainder of the current term.