The 2020 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States presidential election in which all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated. Alaska voters chose three electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and his running mate, incumbent Vice President Mike Pence, against Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, United States Senator Kamala Harris of California. The Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Alliance Party nominees were also on the ballot, as was an independent candidate.
Prior to the election, 13 of 14 news organizations predicted that Alaska would be a state that Trump would win, or otherwise a red state. Since it was admitted into the Union in 1959, Alaska has voted for the Republican nominee in every single election except 1964 in Lyndon B. Johnson's nationwide landslide, when he carried it with 65.91% of the vote. However, some analysts believed Alaska could be competitive based on polling.
Despite not being a swing state, Alaska was one of the last states to be called; the state did not start counting absentee ballots or early votes that were cast after October 29 until November 10. Mail-in votes only had to be received by November 13 for them to be counted, and counting had to be completed by November 18. As a result, Alaska was called for Trump on November 11. He won the state by 10.06%, the closest margin in the state since 1992. Biden received the highest percentage of the vote for a Democrat in the state since 1964. It was also the second time a Democrat won over 40% of the vote in the state since 1968, the first being Barack Obama in 2012.
Alaska shifted 4.67% to the Democratic nominee compared to the 2016 election. The state ultimately weighed in as 14.51 percentage points more Republican than the national average in 2020. Biden was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Anchorage since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, and the first Democrat to receive a majority in Haines Borough since 1964.
Primary elections
Canceled Republican primary
On September 21, 2019, the Alaska Republican Party became one of several state Republican parties to officially cancel their respective primaries and caucuses. The party argued that a primary would be useless with an incumbent Republican president.
Of the 29 total delegates, 3 is allocated to the at-large congressional district, 10 to at-large delegates, and another 3 are allocated to pledged party leaders and elected officials (PLEO delegates). 13 bonus delegates were allocated.
The state party still formally conducted the higher meetings in their walking subcaucus-type delegate selection system. The legislative district conventions were held on the four consecutive Saturdays from February 8 to 29 to select delegates to the Alaska State Republican Convention. At the Alaska State Republican Convention, which took place from April 2 to April 4, 2020, the state party formally bound all 29 of its national pledged delegates to Trump.
The 26 pledged delegates Alaska sent to the national convention were joined by 3 pledged PLEO delegates, consisting of the National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, and chairman of the Alaska Republican Party.
Democratic primary
The Alaska Democratic primary was originally scheduled for April 4, 2020. On March 23, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alaska Democratic Party canceled in-person voting, but extended mail-in voting to April 10.
Libertarian nominee No contest was held for the Libertarian Party's nomination in the state of Alaska. At the 2020 Libertarian National Convention, the Alaskan delegates cast their votes for Georgia politician John Monds, but on the third and fourth ballots voted for Jo Jorgensen, psychology senior lecturer at Clemson University. Jorgensen would become the party's nominee after being elected on the fourth ballot, her running mate being entrepreneur and podcaster Spike Cohen.Clemson professor wins Libertarian nomination for president Greenville News. May 26, 2020.
General election
Issues Several of Trump's environmental policies involved loosening restrictions on energy, hunting, and mining in Alaska: he instructed the Department of Agriculture to exempt Tongass National Forest from logging restrictions; supported the construction of Pebble Mine, an unpopular gold and copper mine in Bristol Bay (though the permit was ultimately denied); rolled back limits on hunters in federal land in Alaska; and opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. While these policies expanded their respective industries, they were met with opposition among environmental groups and the Gwich'in, whose sacred land is partly within the refuge. Biden pledged to reverse several of Trump's climate policies and address the climate crisis, and he enacted a temporary moratorium on gas and oil leasing in the ANWR after being inaugurated on January 20, 2021.
Trump's environmental and gun policy also included reviving hunting techniques in Alaska, an action condemned by several animal rights groups.
Final predictions SourceRankingThe Cook Political ReportInside ElectionsSabato's Crystal BallPoliticoRCPNiskanen2020 Bitecofer Model Electoral College Predictions , Niskanen Center, March 24, 2020, retrieved: April 19, 2020.CNNThe EconomistCBS News270towinABC NewsNPRNBC News538
Polling
Aggregate polls +Source of pollaggregationDates administeredDates updatedJoeBiden DonaldTrumpOther/UndecidedMargin270 to Win270 to WinOctober 6 – November 2, 2020November 3, 202043.8%49.4%6.8%Trump +5.6FiveThirtyEightFiveThirtyEightuntil November 2, 2020November 3, 202043.6%51.2%5.2%Trump +7.7Average43.7%50.3%6.0%Trump +6.7
Polls Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldTrumpJoeBidenJoJorgensenOtherUndecidedSurveyMonkey/AxiosSurveyMonkey/AxiosOct 20 – Nov 2, 2020634 (LV)± 5%54%45% – – –Gravis MarketingGravis MarketingOct 26–28, 2020770 (LV)± 3.5%52%43% – –5%SurveyMonkey/AxiosOct 1–28, 20201,147 (LV) –54%44% – – –Public Policy Polling/Protect Our CarePublic Policy Polling/Protect Our CareOct 19–20, 2020800 (V)± 3.5%50%45% - –5%Siena College/NYT UpshotSiena College/NYT UpshotOct 9–14, 2020423 (LV)± 5.7%45%39%8%2%6%Patinkin Research StrategiesPatinkin Research StrategiesSep 30 – Oct 4, 2020600 (LV)± 4%49%46% –3%2%Alaska Survey ResearchAlaska Survey ResearchSep 26 – Oct 4, 2020696 (LV) –50%46% - -4%SurveyMonkey/AxiosSep 1–30, 2020563 (LV) –53%45% - -2%Harstad Strategic Research/Independent AlaskaHarstad Strategic Research/Independent AlaskaSep 20–23, 2020602 (LV)± 4%47%46% - - –SurveyMonkey/AxiosAug 1–31, 2020472 (LV) –57%42% - -1%SurveyMonkey/AxiosJul 1–31, 2020412 (LV) –55%43% - -2%Public Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D)Jul 23–24, 2020885 (V) –50%44% - - 6%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingJul 7–8, 20201,081 (RV)± 3.0%48%45% - -6%Alaska Survey ResearchAlaska Survey ResearchJun 23 – Jul 7, 2020663 (LV)± 3.9%49%48% - -4%SurveyMonkey/AxiosJun 8–30, 2020161 (LV) –52%46% - -2%Zogby Interactive/JZ AnalyticsZogby Interactive/JZ Analytics Jul 22 – Aug 9, 2019 321 (LV) ± 5.5% 45% 40% - - 15%Donald Trump vs. Pete Buttigieg Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldTrump (R) PeteButtigieg (D) UndecidedZogby Interactive/JZ Analytics Jul 22 – Aug 9, 2019 321 (LV) ± 5.5% 45% 31% 24% Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldTrump (R) KamalaHarris (D) UndecidedZogby Interactive/JZ Analytics Jul 22 – Aug 9, 2019 321 (LV) ± 5.5% 48% 30% 23% Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldTrump (R) BernieSanders (D) UndecidedZogby Interactive/JZ Analytics Jul 22 – Aug 9, 2019 321 (LV) ± 5.5% 45% 38% 17% Donald Trump vs. Elizabeth Warren Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin DonaldTrump (R) ElizabethWarren (D) UndecidedZogby Interactive/JZ Analytics Jul 22 – Aug 9, 2019 321 (LV) ± 5.5% 48% 32% 20%
Fundraising According to the Federal Election Commission, in 2019 and 2020, of the candidates who were on the ballot, Donald Trump and his interest groups raised $1,487,277.13, Joe Biden raised $1,321,242.60, and Jo Jorgensen raised $7,420.85 from Alaska-based contributors. Don Blankenship, Brock Pierce, and Rocky De La Fuente, all of which were on the ballot, did not raise any money from the state.
Candidate ballot access Donald Trump / Mike Pence, Republican Joe Biden / Kamala Harris, Democratic Jo Jorgensen / Spike Cohen, Libertarian Jesse Ventura / Cynthia McKinney, Green Don Blankenship / William Mohr, Constitution Brock Pierce / Karla Ballard, Independent Rocky De La Fuente / Darcy Richardson, Alliance
In addition, write-in candidates were required to file a Declaration of Intent with the Alaska Division of Elections at least five days before the election. They were also obligated to file a financial disclosure statement. Write-in votes were not counted individually. The following candidates were given write-in access: Dennis Andrew Ball / Richard A. Sanders, American Party of America – American National Committee Barbara Ruth Bellar / Kendra Bryant, Republican President R19 Boddie / Eric C. Stoneham, Independent David C. Byrne / Tony N. Reed, C.C.U.S.A. Brian T. Carroll / Amar Patel, American Solidarity Todd Cella / Timothy Bryan "Tim" Cella, Independent Mark Robert Charles / Adrian D. Wallace, Independent Ryan Stephen Ehrenreich / Veronica Ehrenreich, Independent Howard "Howie" Gresham Hawkins / Angela Nicola Walker, Socialist Party USA Thomas "Tom" Hoefling / Andy Prior, Independent Shawn W. Howard / Alyssa C. Howard, Independent Dario David Hunter / Dawn Neptune Adams, Progressive Joseph W. "Joe" McHugh / Elizabeth "Liz" Storm, Independent Albert L. Raley / Darlene Raley, Republican Deborah Ann "Debbie" Rouse / Sheila Maria Cannon, Independent Jade Simmons / Claudeliah J. "CJ" Roze, Independent Mary Ruth Caro Simmons / Sherrie Dow, Independent Ajay Sood / Richard Mende, Independent Sheila "Samm" Tittle / John Wagner, Independent Kasey J. Wells / Rachel M. Wells, Independent Kanye West / Michelle Tidball, Independent Demetra Jefferson Wysinger / Cedric D. Jefferson, WXYZ New Day
Electoral slates The voters of Alaska cast their ballots for electors, or representatives to the Electoral College, rather than directly for the President and Vice President. Alaska is allocated 3 electors because it has 1 congressional district and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 3 electors who pledge to vote for their candidate and their running mate. Whoever wins the most votes in the state is awarded all 3 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than their candidate is known as a faithless elector. In the state of Alaska, a faithless elector's vote is counted and not penalized.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 14, 2020, to cast their votes for president and vice president. All 3 pledged electors from Alaska cast their votes for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead, the electors from each state and the District of Columbia meet in their respective state capitals (the District of Columbia electors meet within the District). The electoral vote was tabulated and certified by Congress in a joint session on January 6, 2021, per the Electoral Count Act.
These electors were nominated by each party in order to vote in the Electoral College should their candidate win the state: