By AlaskaWatchman.com

The group spearheading an effort to repeal Alaska’s controversial ranked-choice voting system, has officially filed the required 100 signatures with the Division of Elections in the initial step to get the ballot measure on the 2024 general election ballot.

The state now has 60 days to review the signatures. If approved, Alaskans For Honest Elections has one year to collect the needed 40,000 signatures to place the initiative before voters.

The goal, however, is to move much quicker and amass far more than the minimum 40,000 names. A Nov. 29 notice from the organization said the group aims to amass 10,000 signatures over the next 60 days and 100,000 in six months.

If successfully passed by voters, the ballot measure will take effect immediately. Specifically, Alaska would return to the traditional voting system which includes regular party primaries and no ranking of multiple candidates.

Ranked choice voting narrowly passed via voter initiative in 2020, but few Alaskans even understood how it worked.

Favored by Democrats and left-leaning Republicans such as Sen. Lisa Murkowski, ranked choice voting is viewed by many conservatives as a scheme specifically designed to weed out solid conservatives. Without party primaries, candidates can simply claim to be Republican without ever having to appeal to the Republican base. While the same rules apply to Democrats, it benefits them more in a state where registered Democrats are a small minority of overall voters.

At this point, Alaskans For Honest Elections is gathering names and contacts from those who want to serve as signature gathering sponsors. To become a sponsor, visit the group’s website at AlaskansForHonestElections.com.

Money is key to the success of this effort, the group emphasized.

“We need to raise a lot of money,” the Nov. 29 notice stated. “Nevada recently passed ranked choice voting and it was financed by the same national group that funded ranked choice voting here in Alaska.”

Alaskans For Honest Elections estimates it will cost about $5 million to run a successful campaign. To date, they have about $116,000 and are reaching out to national groups for funding assistance.

Over the next few days, the group will hold two events to gather signatures and support. The first is on Nov. 30 in the Fairbanks/North Pole area at Round Up Steak House, beginning 6 p.m. The next, is Dec. 4 at Regent Life Church in Homer, starting at 6:30 p.m.

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Push to repeal ranked-choice voting begins in earnest as Alaskans file initiative with state

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


26 Comments

  • Neil DeWitt says:

    Glad you noted Nevada. I just talked to a friend there and tried to explain the problems but they being democrat think it’s the best thing that ever happened. I’ll sign the initiative. Why isn’t there a signing in Anchorage/ Eagle River area?

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      Neil, I have heard a couple people from the Mat-Su/Anchorage/ER areas saying that they will volunteer to collect signatures. Keep your ears open.

  • Truth Network says:

    RCV has been a boon for Alaska. I will not be signing this ill conceived petition. I am proud of the Alaskan congressional delegation and proud of my home state for showing that strong moderate candidates can win over weak extremists.

    • Elizabeth Henry says:

      RCV is what is ill conceived and is no voting. It is a shell game. Of course cheaters with no conscience want it as it is the only way they can win. Most people do not want marxism hence the only way Marxist supportive candidates can win is to foist upon us RCV. This is being funded by globalist elitists from outside our state and country and they want to shove it onto all th states. You are a fool if you think they care about you. You are only a leftist vote foe their gain.

    • Steven Chappell says:

      The Alaskan delegation does care one cent for you. You are the one who is clueless. Do us a favor wear the sign around your neck that you support RCV so we can see stupidity at its finest. Try also using your real name if you are not scared to, I’m not scared to do so. I want someone to approach me and try to debate so I can watch them crawl away on their hand and knees crying when they get owned.

    • Great Granny says:

      Good for you Bud! Now perhaps you should change home states! Like maybe…Nevada! You will love it there…you won’t be missed here!

    • William R. says:

      Truth Network? REALLY! more like the west coast liberal turnip truck invades Alaska. And it should have been called “rankest of choice voting”. The only way that two faced skunk Murkowski could have ever won was through this con job she instigated against the Alaskan people.

  • Ceak says:

    I heard Nevada will vote again on whether to allow ranked choice in. If it passes twice, then it will become the standard for voting. Hopefully, the residents will vote it down on the 2nd attempt.

    I will definitely sign a petition to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska. I believe it was passed under false pretenses, with dark money campaign funding pushed as a selling point. There was little time spent explaining the actual process of ranked choice and how it would drastically change our election process.

  • Terry Stires says:

    If the next election using RCV ends favoring conservatives, I suspect those who came at first to scoff remain behind to pray.

    • Ceak says:

      I’d still be saying we need to repeal it. It complicates our eelections and needs to be repealed, no matter who wins.

    • Elizabeth Henry says:

      Wrong. I don’t care whom is running or what the outcome is. RCV is not voting. It is a corrupt wishy washy strategy.

      • nita young says:

        60 years in Alaska and I cannot believe we have turned into this wicked progressive=communistic evil…..votes were very clearly stolen…this is what RCV is all about…..

  • Friend of Humanity says:

    Good News! Thank you for sharing this Joel!

  • Grandma says:

    My husband and I are going to sign. RCV is devils brew

  • Theresa says:

    I’m am so glad Alaskans for Honest Elections moved quickly! We’ve got to get this done before people get used to the status quo and forget their indignation at the foul nature of RCV.

  • Friend of Humanity says:

    Sen. Sullivan is not good for this state. Check out the Board of Directors at the bottom of this IRI page. Look at the people Dan Sullivan works with in this organization that pushes for “democracy.”

    https://www.iri.org/who-we-are/

  • Tamra Nygaard says:

    I still do not see how RCV meets the definition of one person one vote. You vote several times, for different people. That cannot be constitutional.

  • Diana says:

    Where is the petition in the Anchorage Bowl and MatSu? I’ll sign when it gets here.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      Diana, try contacting Alaskans For Honest Elections and finding out. There’s a “contact us” button at the bottom of the page. I am curious also how towns/cities not in the immediate schedule can sign.
      https://www.alaskansforhonestelections.com/

      • Diana says:

        ….and I did just that! Always help to make changes and ask for a complete repeal of the former law. Start “fresh” as you have a blank page.

  • Charlie Bussell says:

    I believe in one vote for one person and you should show up at the Voting booth with proper ID and mark your ballot and put it in the box to be counted….Mail in voting should be completely done away with and die in the dust bin of history….I am happy to learn of Alaskans for honest elections efforts and will join my should to the wheel to help them get this job done…we cannot count on the legislature to do their jobs as their betrayal by the leadership has already clearly spoken out…..perhaps the new administration might do something to clean up the voter rolls??

  • Ken says:

    Was Mike Porcaro pushing it in Nevada like He got paid to do up here?

  • Rod says:

    I vote to get rid of rank choice voting and open primaries. how can every party pick who represents the party. to me, that is corrupt. we should have had a normal primary to delete the weaker candidates. not have a primary like free for all general election waiting weeks for a willer.