Our Election System Glow Up
August in Alaska means our freezers are full, our gardens are bursting, and it’s time to cast our ballots in the Primary Election. Even we (who love elections, as you likely know) have to admit that past partisan primary elections haven’t always been the most appealing of electoral processes – especially if, like most Alaskans, you don’t identify as a Republican or a Democrat. Historically, the primary landscape has been dominated by a duopoly where Democrats and Republicans engage in their annual tug-of-war. Independents are invited (barely). But everyone else is left out. The new open primary system, however, has thrown the ropes aside and the doors wide open. Now, voters can choose from a broader spectrum of candidates, and that means that our votes have even more power.
In 2020, Alaskans voted YES to swap out our old election system for an open primary format paired with ranked choice voting for the general election. What does this mean? In a nutshell, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run in a single primary. The top four vote-getters then face off in the general election where voters get to rank them from their first choice to their last choice.
With the open primary system, any candidate has the chance to compete directly against candidates from any party and voters have the opportunity to vote for their favorite in every race, regardless of party. The Alaska Beacon’s analysis of 2022 primary election data found slightly more than half of Alaska’s 192,061 voters opted to split their tickets in the races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and state legislative offices. This means people voted for candidates from multiple political parties, an opportunity they wouldn’t have had in the old, closed primary system.
Research shows that candidates in open primaries – who must appeal to every voter, not just their party’s voters – are more likely to work to appeal to a broader base, be more moderate, and cordial to each other. And in open primary elections, candidates with more diverse ideas and identities throw their hat into the ring. When voters see that their choices aren’t constrained by party lines, and more candidates look like them, they’re more likely to head to the polls. This increased turnout and candidate diversity is good for Alaska and makes our democracy more representative of our communities and our Alaskan values.
As you prepare to vote in the Primary Election I’ll leave you with a few dates to remember and some words of wisdom: August 20 is Primary Election Day. You can apply to vote by mail before August 10. Early voting starts at select locations on August 5. This election season will be a very important one for our democracy – do your research, cast your vote, and do your part to make Alaska more just, thriving, and sustainable for generations to come.
Happy Voting,
The Alaska Center
