Defending Alaska's Future: Why Repealing Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting Threatens Our Independence and Governance
Contributed by Jeffrey Carson
Repealing Alaska’s Open Primary and Ranked Choice Voting system will take away our freedoms and drive us back into a world of frustrating bad governance. I spent 24 years in the United States Coast Guard. A fundamental principle I learned during my time in service was to rely on my shipmates. At sea, you can’t call 911. That lesson carries across all branches of the military; we count on everyone to do their job to accomplish the mission.
As a proud American and Alaska voter, I’ve become increasingly frustrated by elected representatives who are not doing their jobs. Instead of working to carry out the business of the people, they sit in Washington and Juneau taking inflexible positions, often on social issues that do not contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the government. Instead of focusing on the crucial issues, they spend their time performing, appealing to their far-left or far-right followers in the echo chamber of social media. We’re electing too many legislators who refuse to legislate.
After the first use of the Open Primary/Ranked Choice Voting system in Alaska in 2022, we saw that stalemate in Juneau begin to change. The Alaska Legislature organized more quickly and were able to spend time on important issues. An important tenet of conservative belief is in limited government, but even limited government should be efficient and effective. Repealing Open Primary/Ranked Choice Voting will take us back to the time of stagnation in Juneau; 120 days of a legislature that frustrates us every day, followed by expensive special sessions that do more of the same. With massive real-world economic challenges facing the state, we cannot afford to go back.
Repealing our election system will also take freedom away from veterans in the state. Many active-duty military members and veterans are not registered Republicans or Democrats. Nationwide, 50% of veterans identify as independent voters. That position is consistent with most veterans’ focus on the overall welfare of the country, not party politics.
Ballot Measure 2 would allow the parties to completely close their primaries, freezing out everyone but registered party members. That means a large number of veterans would lose their voice in selecting candidates and fully participating in the democratic process. Moreover, candidates would again be beholden to their respective parties – often the most extreme factions of their parties – instead of a broad majority of Alaska voters. As the past several years have shown, across the nation as well as in Alaska, this has only driven us further and further apart as a country.
Alaska is a state that values independence. That’s why we live here. It’s part of our DNA. In fact, over 60% of registered voters in Alaska choose not to register with the Republican or Democrat parties. Alaskans are satisfied that our new Open Primary/Ranked Choice Voting system is giving them the freedom to move the state in the right direction. The Alaska-based McKinley Research Group studied the 2022 election and found that voters made a strong correlation between Open Primary/Ranked Choice Voting system and higher quality candidates in the election and higher values for their votes. Voters nationally agree. Last year, in a national poll of registered voters, 91% agreed with the principle that “all eligible voters regardless of party, should have the freedom to vote for any candidate they desire in a taxpayer-funded election.”
The freedom to choose the best candidates during open primaries is essential for the efficient and effective government that Alaska needs. Our voices must be heard and our votes must continue to matter. We cannot allow our independence to be taken from us by party bosses and political elites. I sincerely hope you will consider joining me in voting NO on Ballot Measure 2 this November.
Bryan Schroder was the United States Attorney for the District of Alaska, appointed by President Trump, from 2017-2021. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard, retiring as a Captain.