Alaska to use ranked-choice voting system for 2022 midterms in effort to make elections more fair

A new voting system will be put in place and used for the first time by Alaskans in this year’s midterms, in an attempt to decrease the effects of divisive partisan politics in elections.

In 2020, Alaskan voters chose to implement a new voting system, in which party primaries are not held, and the top four candidates, regardless of political affiliation, are sent to the ranked-choice general election to determine a winner.

The new system will be used for the first time in this year’s midterm elections, and advocates hope it will result in candidates reaching more than their traditional bases.

“We’re excited that Alaska gets to lead the way on something that we feel is really monumental towards changing the way voters act and candidates act in our political system,” former state lawmaker Jason Grenn told Anchorage Daily News.

Those who oppose the new system say it will weaken the political parties, and say the measure is unconstitutional. The measure was challenged in an Alaskan court this year, and the measure was upheld by a judge.