In 2022, Mary Peltola made history as the first Alaska Native and the first woman to represent Alaska in the U.S. Congress.

Peltola, a Democrat, actually broke through twice this year. First, she won a special election held in August 2022 following the death of Don Young, a Republican who became known for his advocacy for Native peoples during his nearly five decades of public service.

Then Peltola defeated two Republicans – including a former US vice presidential candidate – in a November 2022 election that resulted in a full term in the US House of Representatives. Both elections were held using a ranked-choice system, which was used for the first time this year.

In 2024, Peltola will again face two major party candidates — including one of the Republicans she defeated two years ago. This is Nick Begich, whose family in Alaska is known for producing Democratic politicians.

Peltola is also running against another Democrat. This is Eric Hafner, who would be unable to serve in Congress because he is currently incarcerated in the federal system for making false bomb threats against government offices in New Jersey.

Still, Hafner's presence in the race sparked concern among Alaska Democrats, who failed to remove him from the ballot. And Begich is running a strong election campaign. Polls commissioned by Republicans show him leading Peltola.

But Alaska Natives, who make up about 15 percent of Alaska's population according to the U.S. Census Bureau, are eager to make a difference themselves with their voting efforts. The Alaska Federation of Natives, the state's largest Native American organization, supports Peltola, a Yup'ik.

“Representative Mary Peltola is a dedicated and passionate advocate for the people of Alaska,” AFN said co-chair Joe Nelson after the organization's delegates passed a consent resolution at its convention in Anchorage last month.

“Her commitment to representing our state in the nation’s capital and her unwavering support for our communities make her the ideal candidate to continue serving Alaska,” Nelson said. “I am proud to support Mary in her efforts to ensure Alaskans have a strong voice in Washington, DC.”

AFN also passed a resolution in support of maintaining the state's ranked system, which has been instrumental to Peltola's success. The organization is pushing for a “no” vote on Ballot Measure 2.

“Voting is not just our right – it is our power,” said AFN co-chair Ana Hoffman. “When we vote, we show our power to make decisions, to raise our voices and to stand alongside those who support our views and values. Every voice counts and let us make our voices heard for the future we believe in.”

Begich enjoys the support of state and national Republicans, including U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. But there's one key member of the GOP he can't count on.

That's Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who serves as vice chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. As he did in the 2022 election cycle, Murkowski supports Peltola.

“I see her as someone who advocates for issues that are important to the people of Alaska, and I think it's important that those interests are represented in Washington, D.C. as well,” Murkowski told reporters last week Attended the AFN conference this month.

Murkowski has also earned the power of the Native American vote. Thanks to the support of Alaska Native businesses, she won her first re-election race as a write-in candidate in 2010.

Polls in Alaska close at 8:00 p.m. local time, which is four hours behind Eastern Time. Unofficial results are available from the Alaska Division of Elections.