2022 Alaska gubernatorial election

The 2022 Alaska gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Alaska. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy won re-election to a second term, becoming the first Republican governor to be re-elected to a second term since Jay Hammond in 1978 and the first governor, regardless of political affiliation, to be re-elected to a second term since Tony Knowles in 1998.

Following voter approval of Ballot Measure 2 during the 2020 Alaska elections, this was the first gubernatorial election in Alaska held under the new election process. All candidates ran in a nonpartisan blanket top-four primary on August 16, 2022, and the top four candidates advanced to the general election.

In addition to Dunleavy, Democratic former state representative Les Gara, Independent former governor Bill Walker, and Republican Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor Charlie Pierce advanced to the general election. In the general election, Dunleavy received the majority of votes in the first round, preventing an instant runoff.

Advanced to general

 * Mike Dunleavy, incumbent governor
 * Running mate: Nancy Dahlstrom, former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Corrections and former state representative
 * Previous running mate: Kevin Meyer, incumbent lieutenant governor (withdrew December 28, 2021)
 * Charlie Pierce, Mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough
 * Running mate: Edie Grunwald, chair of the Alaska Parole Board and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018

Eliminated in primary

 * David Haeg, hunting guide
 * Waynette Coleman, nurse
 * Christopher Kurka, state representative
 * Running mate: Paul Hueper, activist
 * Bruce Walden, veteran and author
 * Running mate: Tanya Lange, social service worker

Declined

 * Natasha von Imhof, state senator

Advanced to general

 * Les Gara, former state representative
 * Running mate: Jessica Cook, teacher

Declined

 * Mike Navarre, former mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough and former state representative (endorsed Walker)

Eliminated in primary

 * William S. "Billy" Toien, nominee for governor in 2010 and 2018
 * Running mate: Shirley Rainbolt

Eliminated in primary

 * John Howe, machinist and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020
 * Running mate: Shellie Wyatt

Advanced to general

 * Bill Walker, former governor
 * Running mate: Heidi Drygas, former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Eliminated in primary

 * William Nemec, former Denali Borough Assembly member
 * Running mate: Ronnie Ostrem

Declined

 * Alyse Galvin, public education advocate and candidate for AK's at-large congressional district in 2018 and 2020 (running for state house)
 * Al Gross, orthopedic surgeon, commercial fisherman, son of former Alaska Attorney General Avrum Gross, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 (ran for U.S. House)

Polling

 * Mike Dunleavy vs. Les Gara
 * Mike Dunleavy vs. Bill Walker

Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Anchorage
 * Kodiak Island (largest city: Kodiak Island)
 * Bristol Bay Borough (largest city: Naknek)
 * Lake & Peninsula Borough (largest city: Newhalen)
 * Aleutians West Census Area (largest city: Unalaska)
 * Aleutians East Borough (largest city: Akutan)
 * Bethel Census Area (largest city: Bethel)
 * Dilingham Census Area (largest city: Dilingham)
 * North Slope Borough (largest city: Utqiaġvik)
 * Northwest Arctic Borough (largest city: Kotzebue)
 * Kusilvak Census Area (largest city: Hooper Bay)
 * Nome Census Area (largest city: Nome)
 * Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (largest city: Fort Yukon)
 * Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area (largest city: Craig)
 * Petersburg

Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Democratic to Independent

 * Juneau
 * Sitka
 * Hoonah–Angoon Census Area (largest town: Hoonah)
 * Haines Borough (largest census-designated place: Haines)
 * Yakutat