Alaskans, do you know that more than candidates are on the ballot this year?
We have propositions to consider also.
Although it seems backward, voting no on Proposition 2 keeps our open primaries and ranked choice voting.
Open primaries allow everyone, not just party faithful, to choose the candidates who advance to the general election for the final votes. Everyone gets to vote for one person. The top four make it to the final ballot. This year, Rep. Mary Peltola (Democrat) and Nick Begich III (Republican) are the top two for Alaska’s U.S. House seat.
There are at least two, and in some districts, more, state Legislature seats being contested. If we had a regular, closed primary, only members of the two major parties, and possibly people not signed with a party, would have decided who is on the final ballot.
This way, all Alaskans did.
Ranked choice voting is on the Nov. 5 ballot. We can rank who we like, for as many as four candidates. This means if your first choice does not win enough votes, your second choice will be counted, and so on.
Do you think this is difficult? It is not. Have you ever gone to buy ice cream, and your favorite flavor and brand is not available? You have a second choice — either another flavor in that brand, or the same flavor in another brand. What if that isn’t available? You can go to your third choice. That is all ranked choice voting is.
At a festival at the Loussac Library, small children practiced ranked choice voting with candy. They had no trouble understanding it once it was explained to them.
It really is important to keep our open primaries and ranked choice voting. It helps everyone. We end up with candidates who are more moderate because they appeal to more people.
— Penny Goodstein
Anchorage
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