Alaska ballot measure · November 3, 2026
Alaska Ballot Measure No. 3, explained
Voter qualification wording limiting voting to U.S. citizens. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wording
Ballot Measure No. 3 — An Act Addressing Voter Qualification. Alaska law requires that someone must be a United States citizen and meet other requirements to vote. This act would specify that only those who are United States citizens and meet the other requirements may vote. This act would not change the requirements to vote. Should this initiative become law?
This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
What it actually means
Alaska's voter qualification statute now begins "A person may vote at any election who is a citizen of the United States" and then lists the other requirements — age 18, 30 days' residency, registration. This initiative changes the opening words to "Only a person who" and moves "may vote at any election" to the end. The state's own ballot summary says the change would not alter who is eligible to vote. Unlike the similar measures on other states' 2026 ballots, this one amends a statute rather than the constitution.
If you vote YES
- The voter qualification statute would read "Only a person who" is a U.S. citizen, is 18 or older, has been a resident of the state and house district for at least 30 days, and has registered as required and is not registered elsewhere, "may vote at any election."
- The Division of Elections' own summary states the act "would not change the requirements to vote" — citizenship is already required, and federal law has barred noncitizen voting in federal elections since 1996.
- The restriction would be in statute, so a future Legislature could change it by ordinary law, unlike the constitutional versions adopted in other states.
- No Alaska municipality currently allows noncitizens to vote in local elections, so no existing local practice would end.
If you vote NO
- The statute would keep its current wording: "A person may vote at any election who is a citizen of the United States" and meets the age, residency and registration requirements.
- Citizenship would remain a requirement to vote in Alaska, enforced by election officials as it is now; voting by a noncitizen would remain unlawful.
- Alaska would remain outside the group of states that have written an "only a citizen" formulation into law since 2018; similar measures are on the 2026 ballot in Arkansas, Kansas and South Dakota.
Why supporters say YES
"Across America, a small but growing number of cities and jurisdictions have authorized non-citizen voting in local contests, spawning lawsuits and sowing public distrust. Alaskans don't need to import chaos or invite activist reinterpretations of settled norms … a bright-line rule about who gets a ballot is a stabilizing safeguard."
— Americans for Citizen Voting, quoted by Ballotpedia; the sponsoring campaign is Alaskans for Citizen Voting
"Alaskans should also be aware that there is a concerted effort across the country to open voting in local elections to people who are not U.S. citizens. In fact, 22 cities allow noncitizens to legally vote in their local elections. This trend devalues the meaning of citizenship and is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who have gone through the arduous process to become a naturalized citizen."
— Former state Sen. John Coghill (R)
Why opponents say NO
"I think it may spread misinformation to people. People will look at it and say, 'Oh, there must be a reason this is on the ballot. There must be noncitizens who are voting.' And to the extent noncitizens are voting, they're breaking the law."
— State Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D)
"Alaska already requires voters to be U.S. citizens. Election officials enforce that rule. There is no bill in Juneau proposing to change it, no court case challenging it, and no Alaska municipality contemplating noncitizen voting … if there's no problem to solve, what is this measure actually for?"
— Stan Jones, Alaska journalist, writing in opposition
What’s genuinely uncertain
- As of September 2026 no committee had registered to oppose the initiative, so the arguments against come from an individual legislator and a journalist rather than from an organised campaign.
- Whether the wording change has any legal effect is disputed. The state's own ballot summary says it would not change the requirements to vote; supporters describe it as a bright-line rule against future local changes.
- The Division of Elections had not yet published the official ballot language PDF or the general election Ballot Measure Pamphlet, so the official statements for and against are not yet available.
- No fiscal note for this measure was located.
The bottom line
Whether to rewrite Alaska's voter qualification statute so it says only U.S. citizens may vote; supporters call it a safeguard against local governments extending the franchise, opponents say citizenship is already required and the measure implies a problem the state does not have.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Checking it against the official text
The Alaska Division of Elections publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Alaska Division of Elections.