Alaska Division of Elections

State Office Recall Petition Process

Information Packet and Legal References

  • The recall petition is the procedure by which the people may remove the governor, lieutenant governor, or members of the state legislature from office.
  • The grounds for recall are (1) lack of fitness, (2) incompetence, (3) neglect of duties, or (4) corruption.
  • View or print the Recall Public Information Packet that summarizes the statutes and regulations. This packet includes frequently asked questions, common errors, sample pages for application signature gathering and the number of signatures required.
  • The recall petition procedures appear in Article XI of the Alaska Constitution, Alaska Statutes 15.45.470 through 15.45.720 and Title 6 Alaska Administrative Code 25.240.
  • The information contained on this page should not be considered a substitute for reading the statutes and regulations in their entirety.

Recall Petition Timeline

  • The application cannot be submitted during the first 120 days of the term of office.
  • The application is filed with the director of elections and must include the name and office of the person to be recalled; the grounds for recall described in particular in not more than 200 words; three sponsors who will serve as the recall committee; the printed name, signature, address and numerical identifier of qualified voters equal in number to 10 percent of those who voted in the preceding general election in the state or in the senate or house district of the official sought to be recalled, 100 of whom will serve as sponsors, and a $100 deposit.
  • The director will either certify the recall or notify the recall committee of the grounds for refusal.
  • If certified, the director shall prepare petition booklets to allow full circulation throughout the state or throughout the senate or house district of the official sought to be recalled.
  • The recall committee collects signatures of qualified voters in the state or in the senate or house district of the official sought to be recalled equal to 25 percent of those who voted in the preceding general election and will have up to 180 days prior to the termination of the term of office to file signatures of the qualified voters with the division of elections.
  • The division of elections verifies the signers submitted in the petition booklets, and upon completion of the review, the director notifies the recall committee if the petition was properly or improperly filed within 30 days of the filing.
  • If properly filed, the director shall prepare the ballot and call as special election.