In what might be a positive sign for opponents of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting, Ohio just became the 19th state to prohibit the controversial system in state elections. Legislation to this effect was signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 17.
This November, Alaska voters will have their own chance to ditch ranked-choice, a contentious and often confusing election system in which voters rank various candidates. If no candidate wins a majority, the person with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed in accordance with their supporters’ second choices. This continues until one candidate has over 50% of the vote.
Since Alaska narrowly adopted ranked-choice voting in 2020, support for the system has begun to erode nationwide. Shortly after Democrat Mary Peltola won a ranked-choice election over Republicans Nick Begich and Sarah Palin in 2024 (despite failing to earn a majority of first-round votes), numerous states have moved to ban the practice.
Ohio’s new law takes effect in 90 days.
Alaskans will vote on the fate of ranked-choice during the upcoming November general election, which will mark the third time in six years that voters will have weighed in on the voting system.
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While Alaska supporters of RCV claim it makes elections fairer and opens the field for more candidates to succeed, the main website aimed at repealing the measure in Alaska argues that the system has made it more difficult for independents, newcomers, and grassroots candidates to win.
“Big money, special interests, and political consultants have learned how to game the system,” the YesEndrcv.com website states. “Ordinary Alaskans are left wondering if their voices really matter when the outcome seems increasingly detached from their first-choice votes.”
The website notes that prior to ranked-choice voting, every Alaskan knew exactly how to participate: “pick the one candidate you believe in most. The candidate with the most support won — plain and simple. That’s the way it should be.”
8 Comments
Thank You Lisa for destroying Alaska! Not only for our elections but for showing the Nation how immature and Hateful you are!
If RCV withstands this election; if the Division of elections continues recounting until enough votes turn up to keep RCV in place, then expect Lisa to re-register Democrat.
She’s been a major embarrassment for this state too long. The challenge continues to be the outside BIG “dark” money donors that are hell bent on keeping their controlling grip on this state. We Alaskan voters need to rid ourselves of this corruptly flawed voting system for good!
I love Rank Choice voting. Got my candidates a win.
You probably don’t have any mirrors in your house, do you Kolohe?
Mike porcarro, murkowski, and Dunleavy own this plague!
Rank Choice Voting is one of the the worse voting system Alaska has ever encountered. It was specifically designed to manipulate elections in favor of liberal candidates by taking advantage of natural voter demographics. Conservatives vote conservatively and for fewer candidates. Liberals vote liberally and for more candidates. Those voter demographics grant liberals an election advantage because any group that can support multiple candidates gains an unfair advantage within Rank Choice Voting. Conservative voters naturally have higher standards than liberal voters, which naturally reduces their number of possible candidates, which prevents them from selecting alternative candidates for all internal runoff elections. Rank Choice Voting demographics creates an internal advantage to liberal candidates because they can accept unlimited standards and principles. Rank Choice Voting demographics creates an internal disadvantage to conservative candidates because they can only accept reduced standards and principles
Dominion (yes, THAT Dominion) is the only EVS that can administer an RCV election. Dominion is the only EVS company that can AUDIT an RCV election. That’s too much power in 1 set of hands. With the 3.5 week of conjuring votes, the entire process is a shell game that causes the electorate great distrust in the scheme and suppresses voter participation.