| Election Name: | 2012 Alaska elections |
| Country: | Alaska |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Election Date: | November 6, 2012 |
| Previous Election: | 2010 Alaska elections |
| Previous Year: | 2010 |
| Next Election: | 2014 Alaska elections |
| Next Year: | 2014 |
The 2012 Alaska general elections were held on November 6, 2012. Primary elections were held on August 28, 2012.
See main article: 2012 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska.
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections. Republican incumbent Don Young, who has represented Alaska's at-large congressional district since 1973, was running for re-election.[1] 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.[2]
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.[2]
Jim McDermott, a business professor, ran as the Libertarian nominee.[2] Ted Gianoutsos was running as an Independent, while Clinton Desjarlais, Fletcher Fuller Jr., and Sidney Hill were running as write-ins.[3]
Because of redistricting, 19 out of the 20 members of the Alaska Senate were up for election. The state Senate was 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.
District D (old District G): Republican incumbent and Coalition member Linda Menard was defeated in the primary.[5]
District H: This was a new seat, with no current incumbent.[6]
District O (old District Q): Republican incumbent and Coalition member Thomas Wagoner was defeated in the primary.[5]
All 40 members of the Alaska House of Representatives were 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.
District 1: This was a new seat, with no current incumbent.[7]
District 5: This was a new seat, with no current incumbent.[7]
District 9: This was a new seat, with no current incumbent.[7]
District 13: This was a new seat, with no current incumbent.[7]
District 15 (old District 24): Democratic incumbent Berta Gardner was running for the District H state Senate seat.[7]
District 16 (old District 25): Democratic incumbent Mike Doogan was retiring.[7]
District 17 (old District 22): Democratic incumbent Sharon Cissna was running for the at-large congressional seat.[2] [7]
District 26 (old District 17): Republican incumbent Anna Fairclough was running for the District M state Senate seat.[7]
District 40: Democratic incumbent Reggie Joule was retiring, running for mayor of Northwest Arctic Borough.[7]