The Juneau Assembly is scheduled to decide Monday whether to implement ranked choice voting (RCV) for municipal elections, potentially making the city the first major Alaskan municipality to adopt the system locally. The vote on Ordinance 2025-13(c) comes after months of deliberation, with a public hearing set for 6 p.m. at Centennial Hall or via Zoom, allowing residents to weigh in before the final decision. If passed, the ordinance would take effect January 1, 2026, applying to single-member races where voters rank candidates by preference, aiming to ensure winners have majority support through sequential tabulation rounds.
The proposal, initially advanced by the Assembly’s Committee of the Whole in June, has sparked debate over its impact on voter representation and election processes. Under RCV, ballots are counted starting with first-choice votes; if no candidate reaches over 50% of active ballots, the lowest vote-getter is eliminated, and their supporters’ next preferences are redistributed until a majority emerges. Proponents argue it encourages diverse candidacies and reduces negative campaigning, while critics question its complexity and timing amid concerns about election trust.
Assembly member Ella Adkison, who proposed the change, emphasized its benefits for competitive races. Opposition has highlighted potential drawbacks. Recent voter sentiment in Juneau leans supportive, as locals rejected a statewide RCV repeal effort that failed narrowly last year.
If adopted, initial first-rank results would mirror state practices, but full tabulation might delay final outcomes by days, according to Deputy Municipal Clerk Andy Hirsch. The ordinance aligns with systems in cities like New York and San Francisco, marking a shift from Juneau’s traditional single-vote method. Assembly members will consider public input before voting, with the outcome shaping future local contests.
For details on how to participate: https://juneau.org/assembly/assembly-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D179175006