The AKPIRG Advocate, May 2026
SB 249 Passes the Alaska Legislature UNANIMOUSLY!
A huge win for all Alaskans came at the final hour of the legislative session: SB 249 is headed to the Governor's desk with UNANIMOUS support from the House and Senate! 🎉
Thank you to everyone who shared our video and used our action form to contact their legislators in support of this bill – your advocacy helped move this important consumer protection bill across the finish line. Together, we helped deliver real accountability and justice to Alaskans harmed by Crypto ATM fraud.
Today marks the official end of the legislative session – though with Governor Dunleavy calling a special session, the drama in Juneau isn’t over yet. Stay tuned for our full legislative recap, plus a new series unpacking the AKLNG project and what it could mean for Alaska’s future.
But for now, we’re celebrating this hard-won victory, and we invite you to celebrate with us. 🥳
AKPIRG joins lawsuit to protect Alaska Voter Rolls 🗳
"My dear friends, your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union."
- Rep. John Lewis, Democratic National Convention 2012
In May 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice requested full, unredacted voter rolls (official lists of people who are registered to vote in an upcoming election, often containing information like full name, date of birth, mailing address, and in some cases driver's license numbers and social security numbers) from nearly every state, as part of an effort to create an unauthorized “national voter database.” Alaska was among the minority of states that agreed to comply, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share sensitive voter information and to later “clean” voter rolls at the DOJ’s instruction.
But Alaska’s agreement to hand over this data and coordinate voter roll “cleaning” with the DOJ violates state law and threatens Alaskans’ constitutional rights. In response, the ACLU of Alaska filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Alaska Black Caucus, the League of Women Voters Alaska, and AKPIRG, arguing that these actions could lead to unlawful voter roll purges that disenfranchise eligible voters.
We joined this lawsuit as a plaintiff because protecting democracy means protecting the right to vote and the privacy guaranteed by our state constitution. Any effort to alter Alaska’s voter rolls must be transparent, lawful, and centered on ensuring eligible Alaskans can participate in our elections – not driven by outside political pressure, nor with the intent to disenfranchise voters.
We’ll continue to keep Alaskans updated as this case moves forward. Thank you for standing with us as we work to protect voting rights, transparency, and democratic participation in Alaska.
A Narrow Defeat, A Powerful Show of Support ✊
A few weeks ago, Alaskan lawmakers came incredibly close to overriding Governor Dunleavy’s veto of SB 64, a bill that would have been a huge step forward for the accessibility and integrity of Alaska’s electoral system. Unfortunately, the override failed by two votes.
After the override vote failed, Governor Dunleavy introduced a near identical bill to the one he just vetoed with alterations to the ballot curing process and the implementation timeline for the Division of Elections. It is not likely to pass before the legislative session adjourns this week.
SB 64 was the product of years of work, shaped by input from communities across the state and with support from lawmakers across the political spectrum. It aimed to make voting more accessible and more secure – especially for rural and Alaska Native communities who often face the greatest barriers to participating in our democracy, and for Alaskans serving our country abroad. While imperfect, SB 64 represented a significant step forward for our elections and showed good policy comes from working together – across the aisle, across the state, and across diverse interests.
At the national level, the right to vote is under increasing strain. A decision by the Supreme Court this spring weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965, opening the door to new restrictions and making it harder to challenge discrimination.
In many states, barriers to voting are on the rise. Alaska had the chance to chart a different path – one grounded in our unique geography, our diverse communities, and a shared commitment to making democracy work in even the most remote corners of the state. SB 64 was a recognition that voters in places off the road system and voters navigating access barriers deserve a system that works for them, and for all Alaskans.
Even in its failure, there’s something worth holding onto here: thirty-eight lawmakers stood together to support the override. That kind of broad, bipartisan support doesn’t happen by accident – it reflects years of advocacy, organizing, and Alaskans speaking up about what we need from our government.
Progress doesn’t always come all at once. Sometimes it comes in near-wins that build momentum, shift expectations, and lay the groundwork for what comes next.
We’re disappointed. But we’re also clear-eyed about what this moment shows: Alaskans are ready for a voting system that meets the realities of our state, and for a legislature that can come together for the benefit of all Alaskans.
Stay in touch with the Anchorage Housing Club! 🏘
Want to stay in the loop on all things housing in Anchorage? Sign up for Anchorage Housing Club's newsletter for updates on Anchorage housing policies, community events, neighborhood happenings, and ways to take action for a more affordable, welcoming city! Whether you’re a long-time housing advocate or just housing-movement-curious, we’d love to have you with us.
For more information, questions, or ideas, reach out to our Anchorage Housing Organizer, Nithya! (nithya@akpirg.org)
Vote in your Electric Cooperative
Board Elections this spring! ⚡️🗳️
Two Railbelt utility board elections are still open right now:
⚡ Chugach Electric members can vote by mail through May 28
⚡ Golden Valley Electric Association members can vote by mail through June 9
If your name is on the electric bill for your household, you are eligible to vote in your cooperative’s board elections.
Electric cooperative boards make major decisions about where our power comes from, how much it costs, and what Alaska’s energy future looks like. These choices matter more than ever as our region faces a looming natural gas shortfall and growing conversations about clean, reliable, locally-produced energy.
Your voice truly matters—these elections are often decided by just a handful of votes.
For more information about utility board elections, including candidate questionnaires, visit the Alaska Energy Transparency Project website.
American Community Survey Toolkit Highlight:
Ahtna Dene 🌟
We’re back again with another resource from our Alaska Native Languages ACS Toolkit, made with care by the Ahtna Dene language panel! 💚
“When a necklace is given, it ties us through generations; it is handed down in remembrance of our people." Language works in much the same way – naming your language on the ACS helps keep those connections alive and visible.
Marking your Indigenous language on the ACS is a way to sustain and uplift it, helping expand access to resources, services, and visibility in public life.
Tsin'aen to the Ahtna Dene Language Panel, Melissa Shaginoff, Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart, and Kari Shaginoff for sharing your knowledge and shaping this message with such care ✨
Necklace translation from Irene Paterson (Ahtna Dene). Artwork from Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart (Ahtna/Paiute). Ahtna Values Reference from Jeanie Maxim (Ahtna Dene). Necklace quote from Davis Hobson (Dena'ina). With graphic design support by Black and White Raven Company. (@blackandwhiteravenco).
Apply for the 2026 Northern Organizer Camp by May 22!
Native Movement would like to invite you to apply for our 2026 Northern Organizer Camp, Nankat Lineages of Resistance! The application due date is May 22.
Participants will spend our time deepening relationships, learning about one another’s home regions, and sharing tangible organizer processes and useful resistance skills. The camp will be held at our Nankat Liberation and Resilience Center, 40 minutes outside of Fairbanks, Alaska, from August 13-17, 2026.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to jeff@nativemovement.org. We hope to see you there!
Chanshtnu Creek Cleanup! 🌿🗑️
Last week our team participated in the Anchorage Waterways Council's annual creek cleanup! Our staff chose an area of Chanshtnu Creek, or Chester Creek, near our office to spend an afternoon cleaning up 🚮
By the end, we filled 10 bags of trash and helped make this community green space and this local waterway a little cleaner for everyone. 🌿🗑️
Thank you to the Anchorage Waterways Council for organizing, and to all the sponsors of the creek cleanup!
