With control of the US Senate potentially hanging in the balance, critics are blaming ranked choice voting for Alaska's notoriously slow results. But former state election officials say the real explanation lies in laws and procedures that predate the reform.
Independent candidate Bill Hill faces a steep climb in Alaska's House race, as ranked choice voting alone won't get him across the finish line against Republican incumbent Nick Begich without winning over more first-choice voters.
As Q3 reports land, the strongest independent campaigns of 2026 are raising real money, and Republicans are using the source of those funds to fuel their attacks.
Alaska voters will decide whether to repeal the state's 2020 election reforms, including open primaries, ranked choice voting, and campaign finance disclosure rules that expose dark money sources.
The Voter Protection Project, which has backed only Democrats since 2019, joins a coalition of democracy groups supporting independent congressional candidate Bill Hill. This year, Alaska’s top-four election system is also on the ballot, as it faces another attempt to repeal it.
A campaign ad in Alaska claims Ballot Measure 2 would bring back open primaries and reject dark money, but the state already has nonpartisan open primaries that the measure would actually repeal and restrict campaign finance transparency.
Alaska's effort to repeal ranked choice voting would also roll back campaign finance transparency rules, removing disclosure requirements for dark money and out-of-state donations that voters approved in 2020.
CBS News published a headline about Alaska's primary that risks reinforcing false narratives about ranked choice voting being promoted by Trump, but the candidates in question are allowed to run regardless of the voting system used.
Alaska voters will decide whether to repeal their nonpartisan election system, which could allow political parties to shut out 60% of voters registered as independents from participating in primaries.
Alaska is testing a new election system designed to increase competition and deliver better results for voters. As opponents push for repeal, the state's 2026 races show how ranked-choice voting and open primaries are reshaping elections.
Bill Hill finished second in Alaska’s top-four primary and now takes on Republican Rep. Nick Begich III in a ranked-choice general election — while voters simultaneously decide whether to repeal the system that helped put an independent in contention.
Alaska voters approved campaign contribution limits in Tuesday's primary, but face another vote in November on whether to repeal disclosure rules that expose sources of political spending.
