| Election Name: | 1981 Anchorage mayoral election |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Anchorage, Alaska.svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1978 Anchorage mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1978 |
| Next Election: | 1984 Anchorage mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
| Election Date: | October 4, 1981 (first round) October 27, 1981 (runoff) |
| 1Blank: | First-round vote |
| 2Blank: | First-round percentage |
| 3Blank: | Second-round vote |
| 4Blank: | Second-round percentage |
| Candidate1: | Tony Knowles |
| Colour1: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data1: | 20,090 |
| 2Data1: | 39.58% |
| 3Data1: | 24,539 |
| 4Data1: | 53.34% |
| Candidate2: | Joe L. Hayes |
| Colour2: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data2: | 20,059 |
| 2Data2: | 39.51% |
| 3Data2: | 21,463 |
| 4Data2: | 46.66% |
| Candidate3: | Dave Walsh |
| Colour3: | c0c0c0 |
| 1Data3: | 10,090 |
| 2Data3: | 19.88% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | George M. Sullivan |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Tony Knowles |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1981 Anchorage mayoral election was held on October 4 and October 27, 1981, to elect the mayor of Anchorage, Alaska. It saw election of Tony Knowles.
Since no candidate had received 40% of the vote in the first round(which at least one candidate was required to obtain to avoid a runoff),[1] a runoff was held between the top-two finishers.