With just one day left before the June 1 candidate filing deadline, 29 of the 59 legislative seats up for election have just one or no official candidates. All but one of the 60 seats are up due to redistricting.

Dozens of candidates have filed letters of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. But to be an official candidate requires filing paperwork with the Division of Elections. The deadline to file is tomorrow at 5 pm.

While most of these seats will have additional candidates by tomorrow, it’s not common to have this many vacant or uncompetitive seats one day before the filing deadline.

Redistricting, which occurs every ten years, played a role as many potential candidates did not know what district they would be in until November, and in some cases not until recently due to litigation.

This demonstrates two things. One, a lot of these seats won’t be competitive or will come down to just two serious candidates in the general election. Two, the waning influence of the parties is on full display.

Here is a summary of the seats with one or no candidate:

After this article was published, the Division of Elections posted updated filings. Those are reflected below in bold. 

Senate District H

Senator Mia Costello (R – Anchorage) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. She was paired with Senator Natasha von Imhof (R – Alaska), who is not running for re-election. Sources report that Representative Matt Claman (D – Anchorage) will file for the seat tomorrow. The seat leans Democrat.

Senate District I

Senator Tom Begich (D – Anchorage) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Democratic seat.

Senate District K

Senator Bill Wielechowski (D – Anchorage) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This seat leans Democrat.

Senate District M

Senator Shelley Hughes (R – Palmer) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican seat.

Senate District O

Senator Mike Shower (R – Wasilla) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. Republican Doug Massie filed a letter of intent today to run for the seat. Massie has served as head of the Wildlife Troopers under Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska) since 2018. This is a strong Republican seat.

Senate District P

No one has officially filed so far. Senator Scott Kawasaki (D – Fairbanks) is the incumbent. He filed a letter of intent in November. Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly, a Republican, also filed a letter of intent in November. This is a fairly strong Republican seat.

Update: Jim Matherly officially filed for the seat.

Senate District S

Senator Lyman Hoffman (D – Bethel) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. I’m not sure anyone could beat Hoffman, who has served in the Legislature since 1987.

House District 3

Representative Andi Story (D – Juneau) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Democratic seat.

House District 4

Representative Sara Hannan (D – Juneau) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Democratic seat.

Update: Independent Darrell Harmon officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 5

House Speaker Louise Stutes (R – Kodiak) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. Republican Vincent Benjamin also filed but was denied for not meeting the residency requirement. This is a fairly strong Republican seat.

Update: Vincent Benjamin is now certified for the race.

House District 8

Representative Ben Carpenter (R – Nikiski) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican seat.

House District 12

Republican Jay McDonald (formerly Forrest McDonald) is the only person to have filed. The incumbent, Representative Calvin Schrage (I – Anchorage) said he filed his paperwork today. This seat is split and could go either way.

Update: Representative Calvin Schrage officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 15

Representative Tom McKay (R – Anchorage) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. Democrat Denny Wells and Alaska Independence Party candidate David Nees both filed letters of intent. This seat leans Republican.

House District 16

No one has officially filed so far. This seat paired Representative Matt Claman with Representative Sara Rasmussen (R – Anchorage), who announced she is not seeking re-election. Claman will likely run against Costello for the Senate seat. Former Republican Reprersentive Liz Vazquez, Democrat Jennifer Armstrong, and Independent Dan Bylsma have all filed letters of intent. This is a fairly strong Democratic seat.

House District 17

Representative Zack Fields (D – Anchorage) is one of the incumbents and is the only person to have filed. He was paired with Representative Harriet Drummond (D – Anchorage). She filed a letter of intent in December. This is a strong Democratic seat.

Update: Representative Harriet Drummond officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 20

Democrat Andrew Gray is the only person to have filed so far. The incumbent, Representative Ivy Spohnholz (D – Anchorage), recently announced she won’t seek re-election. This is a fairly strong Democratic seat.

Update: Republicans Paul Bauer and Jordan Harary both officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 21

No one has officially filed so far. The incumbent, Representative Liz Snyder (D – Anchorage), filed a letter of intent in September. Democrat Lynette Moreno Hinz, a perennial candidate, filed a letter of intent in April. This seat leans Democrat.

House District 22

This is an open seat. Democrat Ted Eischied is the only person to have filed. Republican Stanley Wright filed a letter of intent in May. This seat leans Democrat.

Update: Republicans Stanley Wright and Lisa Simpson officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 23

This is an open seat. Anchorage Assembly member Jamie Allard, a Republican, is the only person to have filed. Republican Roger Branson, a perennial candidate, filed a letter of intent in December. This is a strong Republican seat.

House District 25

Representative DeLena Johnson (R – Palmer) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican seat.

Update: Republican Lawrence Wood officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 27

Wasilla City Councilman Stu Graham, a Republican, is the only person to have filed. This seat paired Representatives David Eastman (R – Wasilla) and Christopher Kurka (R – Wasilla), who is running for governor. There is talk Eastman may run for the Senate seat against Senator David Wilson (R – Wasilla). This is a strong Republican seat.

Update: Representative David Eastman officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 29

Representative George Rauscher (R – Sutton) is the incumbent and is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican district.

House District 32

Republican Will Stapp is the only person to have filed. The incumbent, Representative Steve Thompson (R – Fairbanks), is not seeking re-election. Republican Aaron Gibson filed a letter of intent in November. This is a strong Republican seat.

House District 33

Representative Mike Prax (R – North Pole) is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican seat.

House District 36

Representative Mike Cronk (R – Tok/Northway) is the only person to have filed. This is a strong Republican seat.

Update: Democrat Angela Fowler officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 37

Representative Bryce Edgmon (I – Dillingham) is the only person to have filed. This seat leans Democrat.

House District 38

No one has officially filed so far. The incumbent, Representative Tiffany Zulkosky (D – Bethel), is not seeking re-election. Bethel Mayor Mark Springer, a Democrat, former Reprersentive Bob Herron, an Independent, and Independent Conrad McCormick, have all filed letters of intent. This is a strong Democratic seat.

Update: Democrat Conrad McCormick officially filed to run for the seat.

House District 40

No one has officially filed so far. The incumbent, Representative Josiah Patkotak (I – Barrow), filed a letter of intent in December. This seat leans Democrat.

Update: Representative Josiah Patkotak officially filed to run for the seat.