See main article: 1980 United States presidential election.
| Election Name: | 1980 United States presidential election in Alaska |
| Country: | Alaska |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1976 United States presidential election in Alaska |
| Previous Year: | 1976 |
| Next Election: | 1984 United States presidential election in Alaska |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
| Election Date: | November 4, 1980 |
| Image1: | Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981-cropped.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Ronald Reagan |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Home State1: | California |
| Running Mate1: | George H. W. Bush |
| Electoral Vote1: | 3 |
| Popular Vote1: | 86,112 |
| Percentage1: | 54.35% |
| Nominee2: | Jimmy Carter |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Home State2: | Georgia |
| Running Mate2: | Walter Mondale |
| Electoral Vote2: | 0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 41,842 |
| Percentage2: | 26.41% |
| Image4: | Ed Clark (cropped, 3x4).jpg |
| Nominee4: | Ed Clark |
| Party4: | Libertarian Party (United States) |
| Home State4: | California |
| Running Mate4: | David Koch |
| Electoral Vote4: | 0 |
| Popular Vote4: | 18,479 |
| Percentage4: | 11.66% |
| Image5: | John B. Anderson in New Jersey (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee5: | John B. Anderson |
| Party5: | Independent (United States) |
| Home State5: | Illinois |
| Running Mate5: | Patrick Lucey |
| Electoral Vote5: | 0 |
| Popular Vote5: | 11,155 |
| Percentage5: | 7.04% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Jimmy Carter |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Ronald Reagan |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1980 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 4, 1980, as part of the nationwide presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Alaska was easily won by Ronald Reagan (R - CA) with 54.3% of the popular vote over incumbent President Jimmy Carter (D - GA)'s 26.4%. Alaska has only voted Democratic once in its history, in 1964 amidst a national Democratic landslide. With Reagan overwhelmingly winning the national election in 1980, the state fell safely into the Republican column.
Libertarian candidate Ed Clark had his strongest showing in Alaska and set the record for the best performance of a Libertarian presidential candidate on a statewide level. He also beat independent candidate John B. Anderson in this state, despite Anderson winning more votes than Clark nationally.[1] [2] In part due to the strong showings of both Clark and Anderson, Carter's vote share remains the lowest for any Democrat in Alaska history. Reagan was the first Republican to ever win without Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Dillingham Census Area.
| 1980 United States presidential election in Alaska[3] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | ||
| Republican | Ronald Reagan | 86,112 | 54.35% | 3 | ||
| Democratic | Jimmy Carter (inc.) | 41,842 | 26.41% | 0 | ||
| Libertarian | Ed Clark | 18,479 | 11.66% | 0 | ||
| Independent | John B. Anderson | 11,155 | 7.04% | 0 | ||
| N/A | Write-in | 857 | 0.54% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 158,445 | 100.00% | 3 | |||