Story perspectives

Alaska voters to decide Proposition 2 ending RCV

By Drooid · Sep 20, 2026, 2:45 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Alaska Voters Decide

Alaska voters will decide Proposition 2 on November ballot, eliminating ranked-choice voting and open primaries.
Proposition 2 also ends nonpartisan primaries, permits parties to bar independents, and repeals 2020 finance limits.
Supporters claim it simplifies voting; opponents argue it disenfranchises independents and encourages dark money.
Five candidates, including Senate hopeful Tom Begich, withdrew after advancing under the top-four system.
Begich endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, saying staying would have required millions of dollars.

Summary

Division Rejects Ballots

The Division of Elections rejected 75 absentee-in-person ballots that arrived after certification.
Kotzebue, Igiugig, and Naknek supplied 28, 21, and 13 of the disqualified ballots respectively.
Late postmarking became the leading reason for disqualification, surpassing witness-signature errors.
Division officials will route future Region IV absentee-in-person ballots to the Region II office in Anchorage.
Get Out the Native Vote director Michelle Sparck said the missed ballots represent a measurable loss in participation.

History

Historical Context

The 2000 Florida presidential recount, decided by a 537-vote margin (0.009%), ended with the Supreme Court’s 5-4 Bush v. Gore ruling on Dec 12 2000, exposing unequal ballot standards. That controversy prompted reforms such as the Help America Vote Act. Alaska’s ballot initiative in recent years reflects the same effort to avoid Florida-style disputes.

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Alaska Voters Decide

Alaska voters will decide Proposition 2 on November ballot, eliminating ranked-choice voting and open primaries.
Proposition 2 also ends nonpartisan primaries, permits parties to bar independents, and repeals 2020 finance limits.
Supporters claim it simplifies voting; opponents argue it disenfranchises independents and encourages dark money.
Five candidates, including Senate hopeful Tom Begich, withdrew after advancing under the top-four system.
Begich endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, saying staying would have required millions of dollars.

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