Why is former Gov. Bill Walker running for governor again? His one-term administration fell apart in 2018 when he was one of America’s least popular governors. Three weeks before the 2018 election, he finally just bowed out – hoping his supporters would back Mark Begich and give the former Democratic U.S. senator enough votes to narrowly defeat Mike Dunleavy.
That last minute ploy didn’t work in 2018, but that was before ranked-choice voting, which could be a game changer in 2022.
Under the new system, voters will be asked to rank their top candidates, first through fourth. If no candidate gains a majority of first place votes in round one, the last-place finisher is eliminated, and his second-choice votes are redistributed to the remaining three candidates.
This process of elimination continues until one person wins a majority.
If ranked choice had been used in 2018, Walker’s plan would have still failed, but just barely. Back then, Dunleavy beat Begich 51.4% to 44.4%.
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Under the 2022 rules, Dunleavy will need to, once again, win more than 50% of the vote to keep the ranked choice process from kicking in. If he does not, and Walker is eliminated for finishing third or fourth – the Democratic candidate (perhaps Begich again) will likely get a whole slew of votes from the eliminated Walker, as those who vote for him are likely to list Begich (or another Democrat) as their second choice. Those votes could be just enough to push the Democratic candidate over the 50% threshold and into victory.
Again, 2018 could give us a clue to what Walker’s really thinking. Here’s what he said just before bowing out of the 2018 election for fear that votes for him would only hinder Begich’s chances of beating Dunleavy.
“This week I have talked to many Alaskans to determine whether I or Mark Begich had a better chance of running a competitive race against Mike Dunleavy. The determination was made that, at this point, Begich has the better odds,” Walker said. “On balance, it is my belief that despite my many differences with Mark Begich, his stance on the important issues … more closely align with my priorities for Alaska.”
It looks like Walker will finally get his chance to help elect a Democrat thanks to ranked-choice voting.
18 Comments
You can thank Walker for the latest PFD mess, stealing the funds that were rightfully that of the Alaskans. And now we see the politicians refusing to follow the laws regarding full PFD disbursements, preferring to spend that money the way they want to.
What a bunch of garbage. If a candidate can’t win on there own we surely don’t need to hand them the top position to lead us. A looser is a looser not a oh I won by default. How could Alaska vote such an awful system into existence in the first place? We need to get rid of this democratic b.s. system. A candidate needs to win on their own not be handed an office on default!
Ranked Choice Voting was forced on us by voter fraud. We need a full forensic audit of all of Alaska’s election’s. Now!
Don’t take my vote and give it to someone I didn’t vote for.
Agree.
If we have a Democratic Governor. Guess what! Its Mandatory Covid Vaccines for EVERYONE! Not just if your private employer or federal employer requires you.
All you Dunleavy complainers will have something Real to complain about if Alaska elects a Democratic Governor.
It doesn’t matter who mandates what. No one on Gods Green Earth tells me or my wife what to inject into our bodies…God and the Constitution are what’s going to keep that from happening. God Bless America!!! Live free or die!!!….”MOLAN LABE”!!! Knock politely so no one gets hurt…
With ranked choice voting what happens if a voter only votes for one and doesn’t do the ranking?
Ranked choice voting allows voters to just vote for their top choice and no others. In that case your vote counts only for the first choice. If that candidate is eliminated, then you wouldn’t have any second choice votes to give to another candidate.
The left is evil and would go to every possible way to wreck our elections. Dunleavy is conservative and from the Left’s view must be eliminated. Money is no object because of the criminal Soros funding the planned chaos. How much was Bill Walker pay to mess Alaska up? Obama and HIlary and the union bosses are all involved. God is Sovereign however; and we are praying twice a day for his help and intervention in this evil. Dunleavy needs to be re elected.
I remember Walker raiding the PFD, after all his campaign promises that was a dagger right thru everyone who voted for him. He never fixed the budget issues he just added to the states BLOAT and if hes elected again we can kiss the rest of the PFD good bye, he might as well campaign for more BLOAT and less PFD because that’s whats going to happen.
I’ve never voted in any election of any size (local, school board, national, etc.) where I could have in good conscience given my vote to a number two position. The candidate(s) either had the same values as me or they didn’t. There’s no second place on that ballot.
I understand this position, but quite often I know that my first choice won’t win, but there is an absolutely unacceptable candidate as well. If I vote for my first choice, it’s effectively a vote for the worst candidate. Ranked choice allows me to vote for my first choice, knowing that my vote will eventually go to my second or third. It’s a great system, supported by the vast majority of those who have studied elections.
It tends to be opposed by those with radical agendas from the two major political parties, who realize that it diminished the power of corrupt local parties and hampers their candidate’s chance to win by appealing to the voters’ most base instincts.
I would never vote for him.
Agree
I’m not voting for him either
He’s a Loser
Audit all 50 states, before another fraudulent election.
It is long past time for ranked choice voting. I am proud that Alaska is one of only two (I believe) states that have it.
It is our only chance to escape from the corrupt “two-party” system whereby a vote for a third-party is effectively thrown away. Ranked choice will allow individuals to vote their conscience, knowing that if that fails, they can at least toss their vote to the lesser of two evils.
Those who claim ranked choice voting is problematic are worried that their first choice is the last choice of the majority of voters.
Walker is a crook!!!