Alaska Retains Ranked Choice Voting by a Narrow Margin

Alaska has firmly retained its ranked choice voting (RCV) system, with the results of a recent ballot measure confirming the decision made by voters in 2020. The initial approval of RCV came under Ballot Measure 2, which narrowly passed with 50.6% of the vote, replacing the traditional one-per-candidate voting system. Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference, and a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes to win. If no candidate achieves a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters’ next choices, continuing until a candidate surpasses the 50 percent threshold. This system also altered party primaries, introducing blanket primaries and a top-four general election format, where voters rank the highest four candidates.

Since its implementation in the 2022 special election to fill Alaska’s congressional seat, RCV has faced criticism, particularly from Republican figures. Notably, former Governor Sarah Palin, who participated in the 2022 election, labeled RCV as “voter suppression,” asserting it diminished voter enthusiasm due to its complexity. Palin’s defeat in that election to Democrat Mary Peltola, who won through the ranked choice process after significant ballot redistributions, fueled claims from Republican leaders that RCV was designed to manipulate election outcomes. The 2022 race demonstrated the nuances of RCV, as Peltola garnered only 40.2% of initial votes, yet ultimately won, highlighting that while more voters supported Republicans as a bloc, they did not uniformly support individual Republican candidates.

In response to the criticism and the outcome of the previous election, a new initiative, also called Ballot Measure 2, sought to repeal RCV and revert to traditional party primaries and first-past-the-post elections. Palin spearheaded the effort to gather signatures for this repeal shortly after her loss to Peltola. As the latest election results emerged, it became clear that Alaskan voters once again supported the RCV system; the repeal measure was defeated by a narrow margin of 49.9% against 50.1%. Despite the thin margins, this outcome offers optimism to proponents of RCV, especially in a political environment where similar measures in other states largely failed.

Additionally, the dismissal of the repeal indicates a rejection of the notion that RCV is flawed or biased. After the 2022 special election, Republican candidate Nick Begich III accomplished what many saw as an impossible feat by winning the congressional seat back from Peltola, despite her previous victory. In this cycle, Begich received 48.6% of the first-round vote compared to Peltola’s 46.4%. RCV’s redistribution method eventually benefited Begich, who achieved 51.3% of the final tally after second-choice votes were allocated. This new outcome counters the narrative pushed by critics that the RCV is a tool for Democrats to thwart Republican chances in elections.

The reelection of Begich is indicative of a successful electoral dynamic in Alaskan politics under RCV, whereby independent voters have shown a willingness to support candidates across the political spectrum rather than strictly adhering to party lines. This pattern was observed during the first use of RCV, where a conservative Republican governor, a moderate Republican senator, and a moderate Democratic congresswoman were elected simultaneously. This further underscores the idea that RCV, rather than favoring one party over another, offers voters a nuanced approach to expressing their preferences.

The sustained implementation of Alaska’s ranked choice voting system serves as a sign of changing electoral attitudes. Supporters like Meredith Sumpter, President and CEO of FairVote, affirm that these results are revealing of voter sentiment regarding election reform and the efficacy of RCV in providing fair and representative outcomes. The close vote reaffirms a commitment among Alaskans to engage in a more competitive and dynamic electoral process that enables varied political representation, moving forward with the understanding that RCV can indeed facilitate better elections for all parties involved.