Alaska Voters Approve Citizens-Only Voting Measure

Ballot Measure 3 clarifies that only United States citizens may vote in Alaska state elections, after voters approved it in the November 2026 general election.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain wooden ballot box in front of a distant snowy mountain ridge, in navy and cream with a muted red accent. — Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 3 in the November 3, 2026 general election, limiting state voting eligibility to United States citizens only. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should only United States citizens be allowed to vote in state elections?

Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 3, the United States Citizens Voter Act, in the November 3, 2026 general election. The measure expressly states that only United States citizens may vote in state elections.

Why it matters

The measure is intended to make Alaska's election law clear and unambiguous on voter eligibility for residents across the state. Approximately two dozen cities and local jurisdictions in the United States have authorized some form of noncitizen voting, which places Alaska's approach in contrast to those jurisdictions.

The United States Citizens Voter Act was placed before voters through petitions signed by thousands of Alaskans and decided directly at the polls. Approximately two dozen U.S. cities and local jurisdictions have authorized some form of noncitizen voting, but the vote margin for the Alaska measure was not reported.

The players

John Coghill

John Coghill is a former Alaska Senate Majority Leader and a primary sponsor of the initiative.

Mike Chenault

Mike Chenault is a former Alaska House Speaker and a co-sponsor of the initiative.

Josh Revak

Josh Revak is a former Alaska state senator and the third sponsor of the initiative.

The details

Former Senate Majority Leader John Coghill, former House Speaker Mike Chenault and former Senator Josh Revak sponsored the initiative. The sponsors said they took a proactive approach to make Alaska's election laws clear and unambiguous.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Ballot Measure 3 passed in the general election.
November 4, 2026: Sponsors thanked voters for passage.

Political Context

Approximately two dozen cities and local jurisdictions across the United States have authorized some form of noncitizen voting, a trend the Alaska measure departs from. The initiative instead states in law that only United States citizens may vote in Alaska state elections.

The measure makes clear in Alaska law that only United States citizens may vote in state elections, which sets the eligibility rules residents must follow. Voters and election officials in the state now operate under that statewide standard.

The takeaway

Voter eligibility rules in Alaska are now stated explicitly in state law as citizens-only. Residents who want to understand or follow state election requirements can use that clear standard as their reference.