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Candidate record

Bernadette M. Wilson

Owner of a commercial garbage company. Senior adviser to Rep. Nick Begich's campaign. Campaign affiliation: Registered Republican.

Voter guide

Background, stated goals, record, and money

Goals come from the campaign's own platform. Record lines are official actions.

How this guide is built

Background comes from official records, and from the campaign's own biography where the bullet says so; goals are summarized from the campaign's own platform and stay attributed; the record lines are official actions with the government source attached; money is shown as filed, with the filings it covers in the note under the table, and is not evidence of why any position was taken.

Bernadette M. Wilson

Background

  • Owns a commercial garbage company in Alaska that she says she started in 2016. The state record of when it was formed is not established.
  • Born in Kenai; former Gov. Walter Hickel was her great-uncle. Senior adviser to Rep. Nick Begich's congressional campaign.
  • Her campaign says she was CEO of the Alaska Policy Forum. The Forum's tax returns for 2023 and 2024 list her as interim CEO.
  • Americans for Prosperity named her its Alaska state director in September 2021 and named a new director in August 2023.
  • Running mate: state Sen. Mike Shower of Wasilla, a retired Air Force pilot.

What they say they want to do

  • Restore the dividend set by the statutory formula.
  • Build resource projects such as the AKLNG gas line, Willow and the Ambler Road.
  • School choice, such as education savings accounts.
  • Repeal ranked-choice voting.

What the official record shows

  • One of three primary sponsors of the initiative to repeal ranked-choice voting, filed this day. It is on the November 2026 ballot.
  • Finished third of 17 tickets in the top-four primary, with 16,468 votes (10.02%), the most of any Republican ticket.

Campaign money from other committees, by type

Governor candidates file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. We have not added those filings yet.

Source: Alaska Public Offices Commission

Words and record

What they say, and what the record shows

Each card gets one label from a fixed list and states its own limit.

Matches stated record claim

What they say

Her campaign says she is one of the three main sponsors of the latest effort to repeal ranked-choice voting in Alaska.

What the record shows ·

The Division of Elections lists her as one of three primary sponsors of the initiative to repeal ranked-choice voting, which is on the November 2026 ballot.

Read the full check

Quotes, full record and limits

What they say

Her campaign says she is one of the three main sponsors of the latest effort to repeal ranked-choice voting in Alaska.

“Bernadette also signed on as one of the three main sponsors to support the most recent effort to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska.”

What the record shows ·

The Division of Elections lists Ken McCarty, Judy Eledge and Bernadette Wilson as the three primary sponsors of initiative 24ESEG, which would repeal the open top-four primary and ranked-choice general election. The application was filed December 26, 2024, and the measure is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

Limit: Sponsors file the initiative. Voters decide it.

Issues in this record

Follow the evidence by issue.

SchoolsThe Permanent Fund and the dividendFish and trawlingEnergy and resource developmentCrime and public safetyElections and campaign rules

Evidence timeline

Dated records, with sources attached.

  1. race event

    Final candidate list

    Four tickets for governor: Bronson/Church, Kreiss-Tomkins/Johnson, Taylor/English and Wilson/Shower, plus write-in Parkin/Greer.

  2. race event

    Taylor's nomination certified

    The lieutenant governor reverses course after a Department of Law review.

  3. race event

    Taylor's nomination held

    The lieutenant governor says she will not certify Taylor after the Public Offices Commission finds his financial disclosure fell short.

  4. race event

    Begich steps aside

    Democrat Tom Begich suspends his campaign, which moves Treg Taylor into the top four.

  5. race event

    Top-four primary

    Kreiss-Tomkins finishes first, Tom Begich second, Wilson third, Bronson fourth and Taylor fifth, of 17 tickets.

  6. race event

    Ranked-choice repeal filed

    Bernadette M. Wilson is one of three primary sponsors.

See something wrong or incomplete? Report it for review.

Sources14 source records

How we use sources

  1. Official election pamphlet statement: Bernadette M. Wilson (document)

    Alaska Division of Elections · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Candidate-written and candidate-paid statement published by the Division of Elections, which says the views are the candidate's own.

    candidate statement

    For: Current role; Background, goals, record and campaign money

  2. Bernadette for Governor, homehttps://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/

    Bernadette for Governor · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign site, signed 'Paid for by Bernadette for Governor'. Links her X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube accounts.

    candidate statement

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money; Sponsoring the ranked-choice repeal

  3. Alaska Policy Forum tax filingshttps://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264380206

    ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (IRS Form 990 data) · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Lists Bernadette Wilson as interim CEO on the Forum's returns for 2023 and 2024 (EIN 26-4380206).

    official office record

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  4. Americans for Prosperity announces new state directorhttps://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/americans-for-prosperity-announces-new-state-director/

    Americans for Prosperity · Published Sep 9, 2021 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Posted September 9, 2021. Names Bernadette Wilson as the Alaska chapter's next state director.

    original reporting

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  5. Americans for Prosperity names Bethany Marcum Alaska state directorhttps://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/americans-for-prosperity-names-bethany-marcum-alaska-state-director/

    Americans for Prosperity · Published Aug 22, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Posted August 22, 2023. Names Bethany Marcum as the Alaska chapter's new state director. It does not give Wilson's last day.

    original reporting

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  6. Official election pamphlet statement: Michael K. Shower, lieutenant governor (document)

    Alaska Division of Elections · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Candidate-written and candidate-paid statement published by the Division of Elections, which says the views are the candidate's own. Used only to name the running mate.

    candidate statement

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  7. On the issueshttps://bernadetteforgovernor.com/on-the-issues/

    Bernadette for Governor · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign issues page: education and the Permanent Fund Dividend.

    candidate statement

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  8. Initiative 24ESEG petition statushttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/petitions-and-ballot-measures/petition-status/?initiative_id=24ESEG

    Alaska Division of Elections · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The initiative to repeal the open top-four primary and ranked-choice general election. Primary sponsors: Ken McCarty, Judy Eledge and Bernadette Wilson. Application filed December 26, 2024. Status: will appear on the general election ballot.

    official election record

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money; Sponsoring the ranked-choice repeal; Ranked-choice repeal filed

  9. 2026 primary election summary report, official results (document)

    Alaska Division of Elections · Published Aug 31, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Official results of the August 18, 2026 top-four primary, report dated August 31, 2026. Governor: Kreiss-Tomkins/Johnson 37,006 (22.52%), Begich/Hnilicka 34,172 (20.80%), Wilson/Shower 16,468 (10.02%), Bronson/Church 13,364 (8.13%), Taylor/English 11,928 (7.26%), and twelve other tickets.

    official election record

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money; Top-four primary

  10. APOC online reports: campaign disclosurehttps://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/CampaignDisclosure/CDCandidates.aspx

    Alaska Public Offices Commission · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Where governor candidates' campaign contribution and spending reports are filed. This desk did not read them.

    official election record

    For: Background, goals, record and campaign money

  11. 2026 general election candidate listhttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/candidates/?election=26genr

    Alaska Division of Elections · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Page last updated September 25, 2026 at 8:16 am by its own stamp; reread October 1, 2026. Lists four certified governor tickets: Bronson/Church, Kreiss-Tomkins/Johnson, Taylor/English and Wilson/Shower, and one certified write-in ticket, Parkin/Greer.

    official election record

    For: Final candidate list

  12. Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom will certify nominations of Treg Taylor and Jose Taglehttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/lieutenant-governor-dahlstrom-will-certify-nominations-of-treg-taylor-and-jose-tagle/

    Alaska Division of Elections · Published Sep 4, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Dated September 4, 2026. Reverses the August 31 decision after a Department of Law review found possible discrepancies in many candidates' disclosure statements.

    official election record

    For: Taylor's nomination certified

  13. Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom will not certify Treg Taylor's nomination for governorhttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/lieutenant-governor-nancy-dahlstrom-will-not-certify-treg-taylors-nomination-for-governor/

    Alaska Division of Elections · Published Aug 31, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Dated August 31, 2026. The Alaska Public Offices Commission voted 4-1 that his 2026 financial disclosure did not substantially comply with state law in time, and recommended against certifying his nomination.

    official election record

    For: Taylor's nomination held

  14. Democrat Tom Begich steps aside, setting off a scramble in Alaska governor's racehttps://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/elections/2026-08-31/democrat-tom-begich-steps-aside-setting-off-a-scramble-in-alaska-governors-race

    Alaska Public Media · Published Aug 31, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    By Rhonda McBride, August 31, 2026. Reports that Begich and his running mate suspended their campaign in a video posted August 28, which moved Treg Taylor into the top four.

    original reporting

    For: Begich steps aside