Alaska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

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Alaska Gubernatorial Election

Primary Date:
August 19, 2014

General Election Date:
November 4, 2014

Race rating: Lean Republican

November 4 Election Winners:
Bill Walker Grey.png
Byron Mallott Democratic Party
Incumbent prior to election:
Sean Parnell Republican Party
Mead Treadwell Republican Party
Gov. Sean Parnell
Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell

Alaska State Executive Elections
GovernorLieutenant Governor

Lost trifecta for Republicans
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State executive offices in Alaska
Flag of Alaska.png

The Alaska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, following a primary on August 19.

Incumbent Sean Parnell (R) was first elected Governor of Alaska in 2010 and ran for re-election in 2014. Parnell was joined by running mate Dan Sullivan, who would have replaced Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell if the Republican ticket won the election. Treadwell unsuccessfully sought election to the U.S. Senate. The Republican ticket faced a ticket of independent candidate Bill Walker and Democratic running mate Byron Mallott in the general election. Walker and Mallott won election after votes were fully counted on November 14, 2014. The fusion ticket joined forces following the August 19 primary and stayed on the ballot following a failed lawsuit by the Alaska Republican Party. Learn more about Parnell's re-election bid and the Alaska First Unity ticket by jumping to the race background section.

Republicans held the governor's office from 2002 to 2014, though Democratic and Alaska Independence Party governors held the position from 1982 to 2002. See results in Alaska's past gubernatorial races by jumping to the past elections section.

Alaska uses a top-four primary for congressional and state-level offices. Under Alaska's top-four primary system, all candidates for a given office run in a single primary election. The top four vote-getters, regardless of partisan affiliation, then advance to the general election.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Candidates

General election

Republican Party Sean Parnell - Incumbent/Dan Sullivan
Grey.png Bill Walker/Democratic PartyByron Mallott (Alaska First Unity ticket) Green check mark transparent.png[3][4]
Libertarian Party Carolyn "Care" Clift/Andrew C. Lee[5][6]
Constitution Party J.R. Myers/Maria Rensel[7]

Lost in the primary

Gubernatorial

Republican

Republican Party Gerald L. "Tap" Heikes[6]
Republican Party Russ Millette[6]
Republican Party Brad Snowden[8]

ADL (includes Alaskan Independence, Democratic, and Libertarian Party)

Democratic Party Phil Stoddard[9][6]

Lieutenant gubernatorial

Republican

Republican Party Kelly Wolf[6]

ADL primary (includes Alaskan Independence, Democratic, and Libertarian Party)

Democratic Party Bob Williams - Teacher in Mat-Su, Alaska[10]

Withdrew after primary

Grey.png (Unaffiliated) Craig Fleener (Former running mate of Bill Walker) - Former Deputy Commissioner of Fish and Game and military veteran[11][12]
Democratic Party Hollis French - Democratic member of the Alaska State Senate representing District J[13][14][6]

Results

General election

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Independent Green check mark transparent.pngBill Walker/Byron Mallott 48.1% 134,658
     Republican Sean Parnell/Dan Sullivan Incumbent 45.9% 128,435
     Libertarian Carolyn "Care" Clift/Andrew C. Lee 3.2% 8,985
     Constitution J.R. Myers/Maria Rensel 2.5% 6,987
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.3% 893
Total Votes 279,958
Election results via Alaska Division of Elections

Primary election

Republican primary

Gubernatorial
Governor of Alaska Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSean Parnell Incumbent 75.9% 80,903
Russ Millette 10.6% 11,296
Brad Snowden 9.9% 10,594
Gerald L. "Tap" Heikes 3.6% 3,855
Total Votes 106,648
Election results via Alaska Division of Elections.
Lieutenant gubernatorial
Lieutenant Governor of Alaska Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDan Sullivan 70.7% 74,758
Kelly Wolf 29.3% 30,985
Total Votes 105,743
Election results via Alaska Division of Elections.

ADL primary (includes Alaska Independence, Democratic and Libertarian Party)

Gubernatorial
Governor of Alaska Democratic-Libertarian-Independence Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngByron Mallott (Democratic) 66.9% 42,327
Phil Stoddard (Democratic) 16.6% 10,514
Green check mark transparent.pngCarolyn "Care" Clift (Libertarian) 16.5% 10,436
Total Votes 63,277
Election results via Alaska Division of Elections.


Lieutenant gubernatorial
Lieutenant Governor of Alaska Democratic-Libertarian-Independence Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngHollis French (Democratic) 62.1% 40,271
Robert "Bob" Williams (Democratic) 25.2% 16,358
Green check mark transparent.pngAndrew C. Lee (Libertarian) 12.7% 8,238
Total Votes 64,867
Election results via Alaska Division of Elections.


Campaign themes

Sean Parnell and Bill Walker answered questions about major issues facing Alaska submitted by the Alaska Dispatch News. Below is a selection of answers offered by Parnell and Walker to the paper's questions:

Economic diversification

Bill Walker

  • The State needs to ensure completion of a large volume gas line to tidewater at Cook Inlet for shipment of LNG to Asia. No company should be able to halt progress while demanding concessions from the state.
  • Promote and, in specific cases, provide incentives for value-added industries, such as resource processing, manufacturing and services.
  • Build up Alaska’s role as the nation’s Arctic state, with responsible resource development, shipping centers and a strong Coast Guard presence.

[15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[16]

Sean Parnell

Alaska’s economy is growing as a result of the policies I have pursued: 16,000 new jobs; hundreds of new businesses; more oil revenue; billions in new investment on its way to the state. These results for Alaskan speak louder than words. In the years ahead, I will continue making historic progress on a gas line for Alaskans, blow the doors wide open on opportunities for young people in career technical education, and continue standing up for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[17]

Expanding Medicaid

Bill Walker

I support expanding Medicaid. We achieve three objectives by doing so. First, we cover nearly 40,000 Alaskans who have little or no coverage. Second, we expand job growth in the health care field in Alaska (such an expansion would create an additional 4,000 jobs in Alaska by 2020). Third, we counter the impacts that uncovered Alaskans have on the insurance premiums of other Alaskans who must underwrite the costs of hospital and other medical care to the uninsured. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[16]

Sean Parnell

I oppose expanding the single most expensive part of Obamacare as it has been offered. Our Medicaid system is already unsustainable. Alaska’s program covers 151,000 people at about $1.5 billion per year. To expand Medicaid requires approximately $440 million more annually of public dollars to cover 10,000 more people; yet, this program is not working well for those who are in it. We have to fix the existing Medicaid program to make it more sustainable. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[17]

More Alaska Production Act

Energy Policy Logo on Ballotpedia.png
Energy policy is a major issue in Alaska. To learn more, see "Energy policy in Alaska."

Bill Walker

I do not intend to offer changes to SB21. However, Alaska voters trusted SB21 proponents that promised it would result in a halt in the decline of oil production ,increased jobs and investment on the North Slope remaining flat or increasing and that it would be relatively revenue neutral as compared to ACES. I will begin to monitor North Slope activity immediately to ensure those promises are kept and make that information available to the public. It is my hope those promises are kept. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[16]

Sean Parnell

No changes should be made this session. The More Alaska Production Act is already benefiting Alaskans and we need to give it a chance. The MAP Act is bringing in more revenue to the state as it better protects Alaskans at these lower oil prices. The Act is bringing new investment back to Alaska and strong job and economic activity in many regions of our state. I will hold the companies accountable for fulfilling on their commitments to bring billions of dollars to invest in our state. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[17]

Public education

Bill Walker

1. Sustainable, predictable, adequate funding. Advocate for forward funding that at least keeps pace with inflation. Review other sustainable sources of revenue.

2. Attracting and supporting excellent educators at all levels. Respect districts' negotiated contracts; support incentives to attract educators to rural Alaska; support excellent professional development through UA.

3. Developing strong career and technical education programs within mainstream education. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[16]

Sean Parnell

We’re turning challenges into opportunities. First I championed the Alaska Performance Scholarship, getting students to aim higher. We passed the Alaska Education Opportunity Act, to expand choices in the public school system and strengthen learning environments, such as increased resources for residential and charter schools, and providing digital teaching and dual credits for career-tech. I will continue to focus on career-tech to help students prepare for jobs created by our strong economy. [15]

The Alaska Dispatch News, (2014)

[17]

Race background

Timeline
  • May 3, 2013: Incumbent Sean Parnell (R) announces bid for re-election as Alaska Governor
  • October 20, 2013: Alaska Democratic Party's central committee votes unanimously to back Democratic candidate Byron Mallott, the party's earliest ever gubernatorial endorsement vote
  • August 19, 2014: Parnell re-nominated in Republican primary; Mallott wins ADL primary
  • August 19, 2014: Alaska Constitution Party candidate J.R. Myers certified to appear on ballot
  • September 1, 2014: Alaska Democratic Party's central committee votes 89-2 to reject the Mallott-led Democratic gubernatorial ticket; forms "Alaska First Unity Ticket" led by Bill Walker (I), with Mallott as Lt. Gov.
  • September 17, 2014: Alaska Republican Party district chair files lawsuit against state election authorities for allowing ticket merger
  • September 26, 2014: Unity ticket upheld by Alaska Superior Court Judge John Suddock
  • October 21, 2014: Former Republican Gov. Sarah Palin endorses independent unity ticket of Walker and Mallott
  • November 14, 2014: Walker and Mallott are declared the winners of the race, 10 days after the general election.

Republican incumbent Gov. Sean Parnell was first elected in 2010 and sought a second term in 2014. Parnell considered a bid for Congress in the 2014 electoral cycle, but ultimately settled on running for re-election as governor, announcing his decision in May 2013.[18] By the following May, Parnell appeared to be in strong standing for re-election. A Public Policy Poll showed the incumbent leading three potential general election opponents by at least 10 points, while The Cook Political Report released another round of 2014 governors race ratings and labeled the Alaska Governor seat as "Solid Republican" under Parnell.[19] Parnell ultimately lost the November 4 general election to Republican-turned-Independent Bill Walker. The outcome of the close gubernatorial race remained unknown 10 days after the polls closed as additional ballots were counted.[20]

Parnell defeated three challengers - Gerald L. "Tap" Heikes, Russ Millette and Brad Snowden - to secure the Republican Party's re-nomination in the August 19 primary. The Democratic-Libertarian-Independence (or "ADL") primary ballot included Democrats Byron Mallott and Phil Stoddard, as well as uncontested Libertarian nominee Carolyn "Care" Clift. Mallott received the highest number of votes in the ADL primary, and was set to advance as the Democratic nominee to the general election along with Parnell, Clift, Bill Walker (independent) and J.R. Myers (Alaska Constitution Party), until a ticket merger with Walker placed him in the lieutenant governor spot.[21][22]

Republican, Democratic, Alaskan Independence and Libertarian Party candidates do not need to petition to appear on the ballot in Alaska.[23] Alaska Constitution Party Chairman J.R. Myers succeeded in submitting the required 3,017 valid petition signatures by August 19 for a place on the November ballot. If he earned a minimum of 3 percent of the 2014 general election vote, the Constitution Party would have been reclassified from a political group to a political party and shared the same ballot access privileges as the existing four qualified parties. The Alaska Constitution Party was previously affiliated with the Alaskan Independence Party, of which Myers served two years as vice chairman. Myers garnered 2.5 percent of the vote by the end of the vote count, falling short of the minimum threshold.[24][25]

Fusion ticket

Weeks after the primary, the state Democratic Party's central committee voted 89-2 to reject the Mallott-led Democratic gubernatorial ticket and instead supported an alternative fusion ticket pairing Mallott with independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker.[26] The spontaneous formation of the Walker/Mallott "Alaska First Unity Ticket" necessitated the withdrawal of two candidates, Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Hollis French and Walker's original running mate Craig Fleener, who resigned from his post as state deputy fish and game commissioner to run with Walker.[27] Walker and Mallott won the general election by a 2 percent margin.

Almost one year prior to the shuffle, the Alaska Democratic Party voted unanimously to back Mallott for governor. The party stated that Mallott's was their earliest ever gubernatorial endorsement vote, citing the members' approval of the candidate's "public service, business experience and 'progressive' values."[28]

One of the driving forces behind the ticket merger was the Alaska AFL-CIO's decision to boycott the three-way governor's race, echoing a complaint among Parnell opponents that the three-way election favored the incumbent.[26] The AFL-CIO, a leading contributor to campaigns in Alaska and nationwide, went on to support the newly formed ticket.

Lawsuit

Soon after state election chief Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and the Alaska Division of Elections granted permission for the campaigns to join forces on September 2, Steven Strait, a district chair for the Alaska Republican Party, filed a lawsuit challenging the order and requesting the ballot be restored to its pre-merger state. The original lineup gave Parnell a distinct advantage, but Strait and other lawsuit proponents insisted the challenge was not politically motivated. "French and Fleener did not resign as candidates for lieutenant governor out of any emergency, but instead resigned solely because they were asked and pressured to do so," Strait asserted, in contrast with the precedent-setting 2006 case wherein an independent lieutenant gubernatorial candidate quit the race at the eleventh hour and the State Division of Elections issued an emergency regulation to give his running mate, Andrew Halcro, the chance to name a replacement.[29] As thousands of overseas ballots had already been mailed for the 2014 election, an expedited ruling was scheduled for September 26, whereupon Alaska Superior Court Judge John Suddock decided in favor of the elections authorities. To back up his ruling, Suddock cited a different precedent than the one Strait put forth, involving a similar ballot reconfiguration during the 1990 gubernatorial race which was challenged and ultimately upheld by the Alaska Supreme Court. In that case, the Alaskan Independence Party ticket bowed out and the new Independence Party nominee selected the Republican lieutenant gubernatorial nominee as his running mate, requiring his withdrawal from the Republican ticket.[30]

Endorsements

Bill Walker received the endorsement of former Gov. Sarah Palin (R) prior to the general election.[31]

Polls

General election
All candidates

**Incumbency is denoted by asterisk (*)
Parnell vs. Walker

**Incumbency is denoted by asterisk (*)
Hypothetical match-ups
Hypothetical match-up: Parnell vs. Mallott

**Incumbency is denoted by asterisk (*)
Hypothetical match-up: Parnell vs. Mallott vs. Walker

**Incumbency is denoted by asterisk (*)
Hypothetical match-up: Five-way race

**Incumbency is denoted by asterisk (*)
**Due to the nature of the comparison, a placeholder figure of 0% is assigned to candidates not included in any given match-up round


Campaign media

Citizens Against Walker

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) funded an independent group called Citizens Against Walker late in the general election. The RGA-backed group led by former state Republican Party chair Randy Ruedrich received three donations totaling $1.3 million from October 20 to October 28. These funds were used to purchase ad space on local TV stations, including $150,000 for an anti-Walker ad on KTVA. Walker's campaign was supported by Alaskans Opposing Group, a union-funded group that received $595,000 in contributions as of October 25, 2014.[32][33]

Citizens Against Walker ad: Obamacare First (October 27, 2014)

Past elections

2010

On November 2, 2010, Sean Parnell and Mead Treadwell won election to the office of Governor/Lt. Governor of Alaska. They defeated Berkowitz/Benson (D), Toien/Brown (L) and Donald R. Wright (AI) in the general election.

Governor/Lt. Governor of Alaska, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngSean Parnell and Mead Treadwell Incumbent 59.1% 151,318
     Democratic Berkowitz/Benson 37.7% 96,519
     Libertarian Toien/Brown 1% 2,682
     Alaskan Independence Wright/Donald R. 1.9% 4,775
     Write-in N/A 0.4% 898
Total Votes 256,192
Election results via State of Alaska Division of Elections.

2006

On November 7, 2006, Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell won election to the office of Governor/Lt. Governor of Alaska. They defeated Knowles/Berkowitz (D), Halcro/Von Gemmingen (I), Wright/Welton (AI), Toine/Mirabal (Lib) and David M. Massie (Green) in the general election.

Governor/Lt. Governor of Alaska, 2006
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngSarah Palin and Sean Parnell 48.4% 114,697
     Democratic Knowles/Berkowitz 41% 97,238
     Independent Halcro/Von Gemmingen 9.5% 22,443
     Alaskan Independence Wright/Welton 0.5% 1,285
     Libertarian Toien/Mirabal 0.3% 682
     Green Massie, David M. 0.3% 593
Total Votes 236,938
Election results via State of Alaska Division of Elections.

Voter turnout

Political scientist Michael McDonald's United States Elections Project studied voter turnout in the 2014 election by looking at the percentage of eligible voters who headed to the polls. McDonald used voting-eligible population (VEP), or the number of eligible voters independent of their current registration status, to calculate turnout rates in each state on November 4. He also incorporated ballots cast for the highest office in each state into his calculation. He estimated that 81,687,059 ballots were cast in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, representing 35.9 percent of the VEP.[34] By comparison, 61.6 percent of VEP voted in the 2008 presidential election and 58.2 percent of VEP voted in the 2012 presidential election.[35]

Quick facts

  • According to PBS Newshour, voter turnout in the 2014 midterms was the lowest since the 1942 midterms, which took place during the nation's involvement in World War II.[36]
  • Forty-three states and the District of Columbia failed to surpass 50 percent turnout in McDonald's analysis.
  • The three states with the lowest turnout according to McDonald's analysis were Texas (28.3 percent), Tennessee (28.6 percent), and Indiana (28.8 percent).
  • Maine (58.5 percent), Wisconsin (56.5 percent), and Colorado (54.5 percent) were the three states with the highest turnout.
  • There were only 12 states that increased voter turnout in 2014 compared to the 2010 midterm elections.[37]

Note: Information from the United States Elections Project was last updated on December 16, 2014.

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $2,640,814 during the election. This information was last updated on March 29, 2015.[38]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Sean Parnell/Dan SullivanRepublican Party Alaska Governor/Lieutenant Governor Defeated $1,329,268
Bill Walker/Byron MallottGrey.png Alaska Governor/Lieutenant Governor Won $1,277,952
Carolyn "Care" Clift/Andrew C. LeeLibertarian Party Alaska Governor/Lieutenant Governor Defeated $18,357
J.R. Myers/Maria RenselConstitution Party Alaska Governor/Lieutenant Governor Defeated $15,237
Grand Total Raised $2,640,814

Key deadlines

Deadline Event
June 2, 2014 Filing deadline (Democrats and Republicans)
August 19, 2014 Filing deadline (Independents)
August 19, 2014 Primary election
November 4, 2014 General election
November 24, 2014 Target date to certify general election results
December 1, 2014 Inauguration day for officials elected in general election

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alaska Governor Election 2014. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 15, 2024
  2. Alaska Division of Elections, "August 18, 2020 Primary Election Information," accessed July 15, 2024
  3. Alaska Dispatch News, "Walker, Mallott to join forces in governor's race," September 1, 2014
  4. State of Alaska Division of Elections, "2014 General Election candidates," accessed September 5, 2014
  5. CareClift for Alaska Facebook page, "Homepage," accessed May 19, 2014
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 State of Alaska Division of Elections, "2014 Governor candidates," accessed June 12, 2014
  7. J.R. Myers for Governor 2014 Official campaign website, "Homepage," accessed February 27, 2014
  8. State of Alaska Division of Elections, "August 19, 2014 Primary Candidate List," accessed May 22, 2014
  9. Phil Stoddard for Governor 2014 Official Campaign Website, "Stoddard for Governor," accessed September 10, 2013
  10. State of Alaska Division of Elections, "August 19, 2014 Primary Candidate List," accessed August 8, 2013
  11. The Anchorage Daily-News, "Walker chooses Fleener as running mate in Independent bid for governor," October 14, 2013
  12. Alaska Dispatch, "Craig Fleener declares run for lieutenant governor with independent Bill Walker," October 14, 2013
  13. The Anchorage Daily News, "French to run for Lieutenant Governor," October 16, 2013
  14. Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage Democrat French considering run for governor, August 14, 2013
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 The Alaska Dispatch News, "Bill Walker answers questions about the issues in 2014 election for Alaska governor," October 11, 2014
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 The Alaska Dispatch News, "Sean Parnell answers questions about the issues in 2014 election for Alaska governor," October 11, 2014
  18. Juneau Empire, "Treadwell: 'No interest' in primary against Parnell," December 4, 2012
  19. Cook Political Report, "2014 Governors Race Ratings," May 16, 2014
  20. Alaska Division of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed November 17, 2014
  21. Ballot Access News, "Constitution Party Has Enough Valid Signatures in Alaska," August 25, 2014
  22. State of Alaska Division of Elections, "August 19, 2014 Primary Candidate List," accessed August 19, 2014
  23. Ballot Access News, "Alaska Gubernatorial Poll Suggests Constitution Party May Win Qualified Status for First Time," May 20, 2014
  24. Independent Political Report, "Constitution Party Candidate for Alaska," October 1, 2013
  25. J.R. Myers for Governor 2014 Official Campaign Website, "A Brief History of the Alaska Constitution Party (ACP)," accessed May 22, 2014
  26. 26.0 26.1 Alaska Dispatch News, "Walker, Mallott to join forces in governor's race," September 1, 2014
  27. The Anchorage Daily-News, "Walker chooses Fleener as running mate in Independent bid for governor," October 14, 2013
  28. Your Alaska Link, "Democrats endorse Mallott for governor," October 21, 2013
  29. The Daily Record, "Judge approves merged candidates in Alaska race," September 26, 2014
  30. Alaska Dispatch News, "Judge rules Walker-Mallott ticket can stand," September 26, 2014
  31. National Journal, "Palin Endorses Independent-Democratic Ticket for Alaska Governor Against GOP Successor," October 24, 2014
  32. Alaska Online Public Notices, "Independent Expenditures Form 15-6," October 25, 2014
  33. Alaska Dispatch News, "Republican Governors Association throws $1.3 million behind Parnell," October 29, 2014
  34. United States Elections Project, "2014 November General Election Turnout Rates," November 7, 2014
  35. TIME, "Voter Turnout in Midterm Elections Hits 72-Year Low," November 10, 2014
  36. PBS, "2014 midterm election turnout lowest in 70 years," November 10, 2014
  37. U.S. News & World Report, "Midterm Turnout Down in 2014," November 5, 2014
  38. Follow the Money, "Overview of 2014 Elections," accessed March 29, 2015