By REP. JESSE SUMNER
I was born and raised in the Mat-Su Valley, am a proud supporter of President Donald Trump, and I believe the open primary and ranked choice voting system benefits Alaska conservatives—especially in Wasilla.
I’ve always believed in the values that make Alaska unique: independence, resilience, and fairness. Our state’s electoral system should reflect these values, ensuring that every Alaskan’s voice is heard and that our leaders represent the broadest possible support. Open primaries and ranked choice voting (RCV) are the best ways to achieve this, and as a Republican, I’ve seen firsthand how these systems benefit our party and our state.
I grew up in Wasilla, with my mom working as a geologist and my dad building homes. My upbringing taught me the value of hard work and self-reliance—values that have always resonated with me. After college, I returned home to contribute to our community, eventually running for the assembly, then the legislature. Serving in public office has been an eye-opener, showing me just how challenging it can be to get things done in government. But I’ve always believed that less regulation and smaller government are the best ways to let people live their lives freely and prosperously.
These beliefs are why I’m such a strong advocate for open primaries and ranked choice voting. In the 2022 House races, Republicans Julie Coulombe and Tom McKay won their seats thanks to RCV, which helped our party secure a majority in the House. This led to a historic moment for Wasilla, with Cathy Tilton becoming the first House Speaker from our community. For the first time in more than six years, Republicans have a majority in the House. Open primaries and RCV made it possible for us to come together and form a majority caucus.
The critics who claim RCV doesn’t work for conservatives are simply wrong. If we look back at past elections, it’s clear that RCV could have prevented some significant Democratic victories. Take the 1994 gubernatorial race, where Tony Knowles won by just 0.3% over Republican Jim Campbell. With RCV in place, the 38,000 voters who chose other candidates would have had their second and third choices counted, likely swinging the election in Campbell’s favor. Similarly, in the 2008 U.S. Senate race, Senator Ted Stevens lost by 1.3% to Mark Begich. Many of the 18,000 voters who supported third-party candidates would have likely ranked Stevens as their second choice, giving him the edge he needed to win.
Open primaries and RCV don’t just benefit individual candidates—they benefit our entire party and the principles we stand for. These systems ensure that conservative candidates can build broad coalitions of support, preventing vote-splitting that could allow a liberal candidate to win with less than 50% of the vote. This is especially important in a state like Alaska, where many residents, like me, value small government, limited regulation, and the freedom to live our lives without unnecessary government interference.
Some argue that Republicans should drop out after the primary if they get fewer votes, but that would be a mistake and lead to history repeating itself. We don’t want a repeat of 2022, when the U.S House seat went to a Democrat. In an RCV election, even if someone doesn’t rank you first, their vote can still count for you in later rounds. This is why it’s crucial for Republicans to stay in the race and continue to fight for every vote.
At the end of the day, open primaries and ranked choice voting are tools that allow conservatives to consistently control state government—because whether they’re affiliated with a party or not, most Alaskans lean conservative. If you believe in small government and personal freedom, the open primary and ranked choice voting system is essential to preserving Alaska’s unique spirit.
Jesse Sumner is a state House representative. He lives in Wasilla with his wife and children.
