Here we are again Alaska.
We still lead the country in proving how voting could work—and our ranked-choice voting system gives independent politics a real fighting chance. A two-party, winner-take-all system ensures that each side has every reason to demonize the other.
With ranked-choice voting, parties are incentivized to work with each other and cross lines to court independent-thinking and swing voters, not just the base. This matters. In 2022, more than half of Alaskan voters split their tickets and crossed party lines to vote for the candidate they wanted, not just toe a line. Don’t let opponents insult your intelligence by saying it’s “too complicated”–if you can figure out a fantasy football bracket, you can figure out an RCV ballot. Ranked-choice hurts partisan politics, which is why the partisans want to get rid of it.
But wait, it gets worse!
Buried in Ballot Measure 2 is a section that allows unlimited and undisclosed spending in Alaska’s campaigns, paving the way for giant outside interests to pour money into local and state elections.
Let’s continue to be an example for the nation: No on 2.
Joe Aultman-Moore