By: Sarah Erkmann Ward, APR, president of Thompson & Co.’s advocacy arm Blueprint.
Alaskans have voted, and the counting continues. Ballots will be counted through Nov. 18, races where no candidate has a majority will go to ranked-choice tabulation, and the state is targeting Nov. 25 to certify results. Whatever the final numbers show, 2027 will bring a new governor, new commissioners and new legislators. The new governor takes office Dec. 7, and the Legislature convenes Jan. 19.
That leaves about ten weeks, including the busy holiday season, to refresh your messages and materials, update your contact lists and reconnect with people who will make decisions in 2027. Here is Blueprint's list of communications steps organizations should take now and in the weeks before legislative session starts.
Now through final results
1. Hold your statements until the results are final. If you drafted statements for each plausible outcome, keep them ready. If you didn't, write and approve them now; wait to send anything until the count and ranked-choice tabulation are complete. Early leads can change as ballots come in, and a statement that gets ahead of the official count can strain relationships with people you'll need to work with in Juneau. Until then, keep public comments focused on the process, the voters and the work ahead.
2. Ask your members, employees and supporters whom they know. Alaska is one big, small town. We all have personal connections to elected officials through work, school, church, sports or community boards. A short form asking whether they know a legislator, legislative staff or someone on the governor-elect's transition team gives you a list of trusted messengers.
3. Map your relationships. For each official and likely appointee who will matter to your organization, identify who in your organization knows that person and how well. Where races are still being counted, map your connections to every candidate still in contention. This tells you who your most credible messengers are and what gaps might exist. Strategize on how to fill those gaps. Identify who can make an introduction and where you need to build relationships
4. Get and keep your audiences engaged. Send short emails with quick updates and a useful link, such as a legislator lookup or a brief survey on issues.Useful updates give people a reason to stay connected. Clicks and survey responses help you identify who is interested and willing to take action, while consistent engagement can help your emails reach inboxes. Track this engagement and develop a plan to stay in touch with your best advocates.
5. Rebuild your distribution lists and make a communication plan. Last session's lists will soon be woefully outdated. Decide whom you need to reach (elected officials, staff, agency leaders, coalition partners, media and your own members), what each group needs to hear and how often. Then build the lists and a calendar to match.
6. Update your core messages. Many new decision-makers may be unfamiliar with your organization or issue. Review your key messages, talking points and fact sheets to make sure they explain who you are, what you do and why it matters to their constituents. If you have a specific ask, state it clearly.
Final results through inauguration
7. Prepare transition materials. Transition committees often ask for input on the issues and industries most important to the state. Prepare a concise, two-page summary of your sector’s priorities now so you’re ready when the transition team resquests input. If someone from your organization or industry would be a good fit for a transition committee, consider offering their name. Coordinate both with your government relations team.
8. Follow the appointments. The new governor will name commissioners and fill seats on boards and commissions that affect permitting, fisheries, health care, professional licensing and every other topic imaginable. Learn about the appointees in your sector and tailor how you introduce your organization to them.
9. Watch how the Legislature organizes. Caucus and coalition announcements have already been made, with more on the way. It remains to be seen who will chair other various legislative committees. Those chairs influence which issues get attention, so tailor your messages and materials to the people in those seats.
10. Decide whether you need a lobbyist. Depending on the makeup of the new administration and Legislature, your organization may need professional lobbying representation in Juneau. If so, start those conversations now. Lobbyists and communicators work best as a team: lobbyists guide legislative strategy, while communications expertise builds public understanding, equips advocates and reinforces your policy priorities.
11. Introduce your organization at home. Work with your government relations team to invite new legislators for coffee, a tour of your facility, project site or community, or a short briefing in their districts before session. Seeing your work firsthand can help legislators understand what is at stake for their constituents and give them a local example to draw on in Juneau.
Inauguration through gavel-in
12. Attend inaugural and pre-session events. Inaugural balls and receptions will be held in communities around the state, and Juneau hosts receptions and meet-and-greets for new legislators and administration officials before session. Decide which events your organization will attend, sponsor or host, and who will represent you.
13. Read the budget with context. The outgoing administration's Dec. 15 budget is largely a placeholder. The new governor's amendments will show the administration's priorities. Plan your messaging around those.
14. Watch what leaders say about the oil windfall. High oil prices are expected to produce a substantial budget surplus. Track what the new governor and legislative leaders say they will do with it, whether that means capital projects, public services, a larger dividend or savings. The outcome of that spend-or-save debate will affect how long the surplus lasts and how you should frame your organization's priorities.
15. Know the nominees. Commissioners and many board appointees require legislative confirmation. Follow hearings and confirmation votes in your sector. They can reveal priorities, concerns and issues your organization should be prepared to address.
16. Give new offices clear materials. Many legislative offices will employ new staff. Provide a one-page issue brief, a fact sheet with local numbers and a named contact. Make it easy for staff to understand your issue, verify your information and reach someone who can answer questions; this sets the groundwork for becoming a trusted resource.
17. Set a communications schedule for new legislators. Work with your government relations team to plan how and how often you will communicate with each new member during session, through briefings, site visits, constituent contacts, emails and events. You can get really detailed and specific using new technology that far exceeds the abilities of the state’s database to identify and track targets and communication methods.
18. Consider a Gavel Alaska ad. Legislators, staff, agency officials and engaged Alaskans watch Gavel Alaska's coverage of the Legislature. A sponsorship message keeps your issue in front of them throughout the session and supports public media.
19. Have your first action alert ready. Draft your first ask, segment your list by issue and region, and be ready to send it in the first week of the session. You may know enough in the first few weeks to know exactly what issue or challenge you will be dealing with, so get started and draft materials now. You can always refine them later; there’s no use in waiting if you know what’s coming.
Getting started
This is a lot to tackle in ten weeks, especially while running your organization and managing the annual holiday slowdown/out-of-office reality. Start with the priorities that matter most: knowing whom you need to reach, what you need to say and who will lead the outreach.
Overwhelmed? Blueprint, the public affairs division of Thompson & Co. Public Relations can help with communications planning, contact lists, messaging and materials, events, and grassroots and coalition outreach. We work alongside your government relations team and lobbyists to prepare your organization for session and keep your outreach moving once it begins.