By SUZANNE DOWNING
Sept. 28, 2026 – Campaigns cost money. Alaskans will soon get a clearer picture of who is paying for the final stretch of the state’s election campaigns. Candidates in the Nov. 3 state election must file their next campaign finance reports with the Alaska Public Offices Commission by Monday, Oct. 5.
The filing is known as the 30-day report. It covers contributions and spending from Aug. 9 through Oct. 2, a period that includes the weeks immediately after the August primary. For voters following the governor’s race and legislative contests, the reports will show how candidates raised and spent money as the general election campaign took shape.
State candidates have another scheduled report due Tuesday, Oct. 27, covering Oct. 3–24. From Oct. 25 through Nov. 2, contributions of more than $250 from a single source must be reported within 24 hours of receipt. That rule also applies when contributions from one source exceed $250 in the aggregate during that nine-day period. The final report is due Feb. 16, 2027.
Alaska’s US House and Senate campaigns follow a different reporting calendar. They report to the Federal Election Commission, rather than APOC. Their next quarterly report is due Oct. 15 and closes its books on Sept. 30. For committees with a preceding report, that generally means it covers activity from July 1 through Sept. 30.
Federal candidate committees participating in the general election must then file a pre-general report by Oct. 22, covering activity through Oct. 14. Contributions of $1,000 or more from a single source received from Oct. 15–31can trigger a separate 48-hour notice. The post-general report is due December 3, followed by the year-end report on Jan. 31, 2027.
The staggered deadlines mean voters should watch two sets of filings in October: APOC reports for the governor’s race and state legislative races first, then FEC reports for Alaska’s congressional races. The filings will provide a closer look at each campaign’s donors, spending and cash position before Election Day. There will be much reporting in the media about where the money is coming from.
