Candidates Set for Anchorage Assembly and School Board Elections

Six Assembly seats and two school board seats up for grabs in April vote

Jan. 30, 2026 at 10:31pm

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The field is set for the Anchorage municipal elections in April, with six of the 12 Anchorage Assembly seats and two of the seven Anchorage School Board seats up for grabs. The races include a mix of incumbents and challengers, with candidates positioning themselves as either supportive or critical of the Assembly's current left-leaning majority.

Why it matters

The Anchorage Assembly plays a key role in shaping the city's policies and priorities, while the school board oversees the Anchorage School District, the largest district in the state. The upcoming elections will determine the direction of both governing bodies and could shift the balance of power on the Assembly.

The details

The Assembly races include three incumbents defending their seats, while the other three open races are shaping up to be competitive. On the school board, longtime members Andy Holleman and Dave Donley are barred by term limits from running again, though Donley is one of the candidates vying for an Assembly seat. The elections will use a mail-based balloting system, with packets arriving at voters' homes in mid-March and ballots due by April 7.

  • Friday was the deadline for candidates to register.
  • Anchorage municipal elections are on April 7, 2026.
  • Ballots will be mailed to voters in mid-March 2026.

The players

Suzanne LaFrance

The current mayor of Anchorage, whose administration is aligned with the Assembly's left-of-center majority on a broad range of issues.

Christopher Constant

The current Assembly chair, who is barred from running for a fourth term due to city rules.

Andy Holleman

A longtime member of the Anchorage School Board who is barred by term limits from running again.

Dave Donley

A former member of the Anchorage School Board who is now running for an Assembly seat representing Midtown.

Jamie Allard

A Republican state representative who previously represented the Chugiak, Eagle River, and JBER area on the Anchorage Assembly.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in Anchorage, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery employee

What’s next

Voters in Anchorage will receive their mail-in ballots in mid-March and must return them or have them postmarked by April 7, 2026.

The takeaway

The upcoming Anchorage municipal elections will be a key test for the city's political landscape, with the balance of power on the Assembly and school board up for grabs. The results could have significant implications for the city's policies and priorities in the years ahead.