Ranked Choice Voting Must Go Away
Contributed by Jim Lieb
A number of recent newspaper letters have tried to convince readers that ranked choice voting [RCV] is a good new way for Alaskans to vote, and everyone should vote to retain it if the question winds up on the 2024 ballet.
Much of the content in such letters is inaccurate, misleading, and remiss in providing important facts. Typically, these letters start right off by mentioning that Alaskans voted in favor of Rank Choice voting in 2020…. but fail to point out that the vote was 50.5% for and 49.5% against.
Additional important information that is often not mentioned is that Alaska Dispatch News, Nov. 12, 2019, reported that ‘Alaskans for Better Elections’ the organization promoting RCV, is a left-of-center ballot committee advocating for changes to the voting process in Alaska. This committee is associated with a number of people aligned with the Alaska Democratic Party and liberal interests in the state.
Alaska Public Media reported that during the 2020 election cycle, Unite America, a PAC based in Denver that supports electoral reform efforts to the benefit of left-wing candidates. gave almost $2.9 million to Alaskans for Better Elections. The claim that Ranked Choice voting gives ‘everyone’ a better shot at getting their preferred candidate the most votes is inaccurate. An accurate statement is that RCV gives Alaska’s registered Democrats a better shot. Alaska’s Democrats for many years have been frustrated with their inability to get their statewide candidates elected. Then they found out about the rank choice system thanks to these outside leftist groups, who explained how the Democrats could begin winning by ‘SPLITTING’.
The simple fact is that RCV in Alaska can and most often will split the conservative vote and result in an increased probably of a more liberal candidate will be elected.
Any claim that prior to rank choice voting the Republican primary system only allowed a minority of Alaskan voters to participate is absolutely wrong. In addition to registered Republican voters, those registered as independent and nonpartisan could also vote in a Republican primary. This meant according to the Alaska Division of Elections, that in 2021, 71% of all registered voters could vote in the Republican primary.
Alaska’s conservatives know that the primary system that existed for so many years worked very well. Republicans of many views could compete for primary votes, and the one with the best ideas and experience could be selected to run against candidates from other parties.
Many Alaskans are working hard at spreading this message and getting rid of rank choice voting and back to what has excelled at obtaining good Alaskan leaders.