Ranked choice voting repeal fails in Alaska by narrow 192 vote margin

A GOP-backed ballot measure attempting to repeal ranked choice voting as well as open primaries in Alaska failed by a margin of 192 votes on Monday. The Alaska Division of Elections counted thousands of additional ballots this week after it appeared that the ballot measure would pass. 

According to Anchorage Daily News, results coming in showed that there was a narrow lead on the ballot measure to repeal the ranked choice voting policy in the state. However, as absentee votes were counted, the margins narrowed and flipped to where it appears as though the ballot measure will not pass.



State officials will still be counting ballots on Tuesday and, as of Monday, there were around 7,800 ballots left to be tallied. The results are set to be certified by the end of the month and absentee ballots will be finished up in the count by the end of Wednesday. As of Monday, 50.03 percent were opposed to repealing the ranked choice voting ballot measure and 49.97 percent were in favor of stripping the policy, with a gap of only 192 votes. 

The ranked choice voting measure was introduced in Alaska in 2020, and many opponents to the policy said that has made voting more complex and confusing. The effort to repeal the ranked choice voting policies had the backing of the GOP and those who support the ranked choice system spent around $15 million in a campaign to oppose the ballot measure.

A resident who spearheaded a signature effort to put the repeal measure on the ballot, Phillip Izon, said that he would try again in a couple years. “Let’s see if they want to spend $15 million in 2026 defending ranked choice voting."