Voters to decide fate of Alaska ranked-choice voting in Tuesday measure

Anchorage, Alaska. Alaskans will vote on Tuesday to determine whether the state abandons its ranked-choice voting system. Ballot Measure 2 asks voters if they want to end the method that has governed state elections since 2022. A majority vote in favor would restore the traditional one-person, one-vote practice for general elections.

Passage of the measure would also reinstate the longstanding party primary system. Under this framework, political parties would vet candidates and advance their most qualified contenders to the general election. This process replaces the current jungle primary, which allows dozens of unvetted candidates to compete for a single office without adhering to specific party philosophies. Candidates in the current system may claim any party affiliation they choose.

Supporters of Measure 2 point to the recent U.S. Senate race as evidence of the system's flaws. They cite the candidacy of Decoy Dan, a political unknown from Petersburg who shares his first and last name with incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. Recent reporting by The New York Times indicates that members of Mary Peltola’s campaign and national Democrats recruited him to run. Their goal was to confuse voters and divert votes from the incumbent, thereby aiding Peltola’s chances.

Critics note that the system has also affected the U.S. House race. Eric Haffner, a New York federal prisoner and convicted felon, advanced to the general election as a Democrat. Despite past legal efforts by Democrats to disqualify him, Haffner finished in the top four of the August jungle primary. This result guaranteed his place on the November 3 ballot. If elected, he would not be able to serve, but the current rules allow his candidacy to proceed.

Under the current ranked-choice process, elections often require multiple runoff rounds to determine winners for State House and Senate seats. If Measure 2 passes, these runoffs will end. Voters would cast a single ballot for their preferred candidate in each race. The candidate who earns the most votes in that single round would win the office immediately.

The measure was narrowly approved by voters in 2022. Since then, the absence of party vetting has allowed candidates like Haffner and Decoy Dan to reach the general election. A 'yes' vote on Tuesday would terminate the ranked-choice system for this cycle. The outcome will determine whether Alaska returns to a straightforward voting process for the remainder of the 2026 election season.