The first phase of the second attempt to repeal ranked-choice voting has passed its first big hurdle — getting the language of the petition approved by the Alaska Division of Elections.
A group of Alaskans submitted the application for the petition in December, and the division had until Friday, Feb. 14, to give them an answer. The answer came on Friday afternoon — it’s a “go.”
This repeal is similar to the last attempt in 2024, which nearly passed, even though the Outside dark money poured into the state to preserve the jungle primary and ranked-choice general election system that has been used in Alaska since 2022.
In this new petition, the language is a straight repeal of the 2020 ballot measure that put the unusual voting method in place. The petition describes it as:
“An Act to repeal a nonpartisan and open top four Primary election system and ranked-choice General election system; and to reestablish a partisan political Primary and change necessary and related appointment procedures; reestablish special runoff elections; and repeal and amend independent expenditure group requirements.”
The prime sponsors of this new petition are Ken McCarty, Judy Eledge, and Bernadette Wilson, three seasoned Alaska political activists. Wilson is the person who helped win the last conservative voter initiative that passed in Alaska — Alaska’s parental notification law in 2010, which said that if a minor was going in for an abortion, the parents or guardians must be notified within 48 hours of the procedure being done. It overwhelmingly passed and was overturned in 2019 by the Alaska Supreme Court.
The petitioners are hoping to have the petition booklets and begin gathering signatures by the end of March. After they get the booklets, the signatures will need to be turned back into the Division of Election a year later and the question would then be on either the Primary or General Election ballot in 2026. They’ll need to get about 34,000 signatures of qualified Alaska voters from all over the state.
“Ranked choice voting disenfranchises far too many voters. We believe that Alaskans will stand strong in their resolve to not be lied to again,” said Bernadette Wilson, who is spokeswoman for the group. “This is a full and complete repeal and will ensure that Alaska returns to a more transparent and timely election process.”
Ranked-choice voting was installed in 2020 by allies of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was unable to compete in another Republican primary election after her work to defeat President Donald Trump.
With the use of Outside money from liberal billionaires, the proponents convinced Alaskans that year they would have more choice in elections. But voters haven’t enjoyed the new scheme and, in fact, elections seem to be less secure, with results not being announced for more than 15 days after all votes are cast. Critics say it has made the state a laughingstock of the nation.
The people who want to retain it — mostly Democrats — had over $15 million in dark money the 2022 cycle to defeat the grassroots’ attempt to repeal ranked-choice voting. They fought hard, even telling voters that if they didn’t preserve ranked-choice voting, they wouldn’t be able to have an abortion.
Meanwhile the repeal proponents had less than $100,000 to work with to get their side of the story out, and had to fight off multiple lawsuits and threats from ranked-choice advocates like lawyer Scott Kendall.
The repeal in 2024 failed by a hair; 160,973 voted against repealing, while 160,230 voted to get rid of it.
Wording matters. Will an affirmative “Yes” vote repeal Ranked Choice Voting?
Or will a “Yes” vote retain RCV?
This was a key point of confusion last time. It is also simply harder to get voters to vote “Yes.”
LOL…….I can vote against RCV every election if I must. It will be like Executive Orders back and forth. If Congress and the Legislature can’t act, we can do it for them while they fleece lobbyists.
AKGOP helped usher in RCV . They should have educated their electorate on how their votes would count . They did not do that . Whether inadvertent or not it squarely puts AKGOP in the light . Hard pill to swallow for most conservative Alaskans . Tens of millions of dollars pouring in to support RCV from outside sources . Maybe USAID was invested in effort ? Alaskans are easily manipulated by money and advertising . That’s why we can’t find our own candidates from with in our state . Only outsiders with lots of cash from dark sources in lower 48 .
Interesting to note at the time of Bill Egan , election results were decided in the evening of the day of vote . Not now it takes weeks from the division of Elections ? Does not make sense .
Get ready to round up your friends and neighbors and get them to sign.
Where can I sign their petition?
The key is to get the uninformed Alaskans and the GOP on board. We taxpayers most likely paid for the democrats and media’s attack on our ballot measure with funds from, USAID.