2012 Alaska elections


The Alaska 2012 general elections were held on November 6, 2012. Primary elections were held on August 28, 2012.

U.S. House of Representatives

Republican incumbent Don Young, who has represented Alaska's At-large congressional district since 1973, is running for re-election. He defeated John Cox, a retired Navy officer who also ran for the seat in 2010, and Terre Gales, an asset manager and Air Force veteran, in the Republican primary.
State Representative Sharon Cissna sought and received the Democratic nomination to challenge Young. She defeated Debra Chesnut, a nurse and businesswoman; Matt Moore, a businessman; Doug Urquidi, a construction worker and Army veteran; and, Frank Vondersaar, a lawyer and perennial candidate, in the Democratic primary.
Jim McDermott, a business professor, ran as the Libertarian nominee. Ted Gianoutsos is running as an Independent, while Clinton Desjarlais, Fletcher Fuller, Jr., and Sidney Hill are running as write-ins.

State Legislature

Senate

Because of redistricting, 19 out of the 20 members of the Alaska Senate are up for election. The state Senate is evenly split between 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans, but consists of a bipartisan coalition majority made up of all 10 Democrats and 6 Republicans, with the remaining 4 Republicans making up the minority.
;Open seats
District C: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District D : Republican incumbent and Coalition member Linda Menard was defeated in the primary.
District H: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District O : Republican incumbent and Coalition member Thomas Wagoner was defeated in the primary.

House of Representatives

All 40 members of the Alaska House of Representatives are up for election. The state House currently consists of 24 Republicans and 16 Democrats, of which 22 Republicans and 4 Democrats make up the majority caucus.
;Open seats
District 1: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District 5: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District 9: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District 13: This is a new seat, with no current incumbent.
District 15 : Democratic incumbent Berta Gardner is running for the District H state Senate seat.
District 16 : Democratic incumbent Mike Doogan is retiring.
District 17 : Democratic incumbent Sharon Cissna is running for the at-large congressional seat.
District 26 : Republican incumbent Anna Fairclough is running for the District M state Senate seat.
District 40: Democratic incumbent Reggie Joule is retiring, running for mayor of Northwest Arctic Borough.