In a sudden and unexplained reversal, Anchorage Assembly Chairman Chris Constant on Tuesday night rescinded a motion that had previously a September public hearing on his proposed ranked-choice voting ordinance. The decision to cancel the hearing was made without discussion or explanation, and the Assembly voted unanimously to rescind the previously scheduled hearing date.
The proposal, Ordinance No. AO 2025-58, was intended to give Anchorage voters a chance to weigh in on whether municipal elections should adopt the ranked-choice voting system already in use for state elections. The ordinance would amend the Anchorage Home Rule Charter and revise Municipal Code Title 28 to implement RCV for mayoral and Assembly races.
Originally, the Assembly had set a public hearing for Sept. 9, a required step before placing the measure on the April 2026 ballot for voter consideration. Constant’s motion to cancel the hearing halts that process — at least for now.
Constant, who is term-limited and expected to leave office next year, has previously stated his intention to see ranked-choice voting adopted for Anchorage elections before his departure. His decision Tuesday night, made without comment, leaves the future of the proposal uncertain.
Ranked-choice voting has voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing just one. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and ballots for that candidate are redistributed based on the next-ranked choice. The process continues until a candidate achieves a majority.
The system is a point of political contention across Alaska. While it is currently in place for state-level elections following a narrowly approved 2020 ballot initiative, a second citizen-led repeal effort is actively collecting signatures to place an anti-RCV measure on the ballot. The repeal campaign argues that RCV is confusing, burdensome, and undermines electoral transparency.
In addition to being used in Alaska’s state elections, RCV has also been implemented in New York City for local elections. There, it has led to a Muslim Socialist winning the Democratic primary for mayor.
The system is also being proposed for adoption in Juneau’s municipal elections.
Constant’s withdrawal of the Anchorage proposal’s hearing means that, for now, the RCV measure will not advance. It remains to be seen whether the Assembly will revisit the issue later this year or if Constant will reintroduce a similar ordinance before his term ends.
