2024 Alaska Measure 2

2024 Alaska Measure 2

November 5, 2024
An Act Restoring Political Party Primaries and Single-Choice General Elections
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 160,124 49.89% No 160,861 50.11%
State House district results Precinct results Yes   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% No   90–100%   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% Other   Tie   No data

Alaska Ballot Measure 2 was a ballot initiative that was voted on in the November 5, 2024, general election. The ballot measure narrowly failed to pass. ^{[1] [2]}

If enacted, it would have repealed Alaska's electoral system of ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan blanket primaries, which was enacted by Alaska Measure 2 from 2020, and return the state to partisan primaries and plurality voting. ^[3]

Background

The 2020 measure established ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan top-four primaries for all Alaskan state and federal elections except presidential primaries. It passed with a narrow margin of 1%, with supporters of the measure outspending opponents by more than 10 to 1. ^[4]

In the 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election, Democrat Mary Peltola won in part due to vote splitting between the two Republicans who had advanced to the general election, Nick Begich III and Sarah Palin. ^{[5] [6]} This, along with the nonpartisan primary preventing a primary challenge to centrist Republican senator Lisa Murkowski in 2022, led to Republicans increasingly opposing the new system. ^[7]

Supporters of the initiative have said that Alaska's voting system should be repealed due to being confusing and vulnerable to manipulation, while opponents have said that the system should remain in place due to being more inclusive and giving voters more choices. ^{[3] [7]}

Opponents of the measure outspent supporters 100 to 1. ^[8]

Endorsements

Yes

State senators

• Mike Shower, state senator from district O (2018–present) ^[9]

No

Newspapers

• Anchorage Daily News ^[10]

American Indian Tribes

• Alaska Federation of Natives ^[11]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	For	Against
Alaska Survey Research [b]	January 12–18, 2023	1,397 (RV)	± 3.0%	53%	47%

Results

Results^{[ citation needed ]}

Choice	Votes	%
For	160,124	49.89
Against	160,861	50.11
Blank votes	TBA	TBA
Total	320,985	100.00
Registered voters/turnout	TBA	TBA

See also

• 2024 United States ballot measures
• Ranked-choice voting in the United States

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. Poll asked whether voters would support a hypothetical initiative to repeal ranked choice voting.

References

1. Media, Eric Stone, Alaska Public Media-Juneau and Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public (November 21, 2024). "Alaska's ranked choice repeal measure fails by 664 votes". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
2. Kitchenman, Andrew (November 21, 2024). "Alaska chooses to keep ranked choice voting, Begich defeats Peltola, unofficial results show • Alaska Beacon". Alaska Beacon. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
3. "Ballot Measure 2: Will Alaskans repeal ranked-choice voting & open primaries?". Alaska’s News Source. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
4. Brooks, James (November 18, 2020). "Alaska becomes second state to approve ranked-choice voting as Ballot Measure 2 passes by 1%". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved December 6, 2022. Ballot Measure 2 supporters spent nearly $7 million and campaigned for a year and a half ahead of the election. Opponents raised less than 10% of that total and started formal opposition in fall 2020.
5. Samuels, Iris (October 11, 2022). "Republican U.S. House candidates in Alaska continue to attack each other while urging voters to 'rank the red'". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved October 15, 2022. Begich and Palin … split the Republican share of the vote in an August special election, allowing Peltola to come away with the victory
6. "Palin urges Begich to drop House bid; Begich declines". AP. September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
7. Nichanian, Daniel; Sabino, Pascal (September 11, 2024). "Native Leaders Organize to Defend Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting System". Bolts. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
8. Grove, Casey; Anchorage, Alaska Public Media - (November 6, 2024). "Effort to repeal Alaska's ranked choice voting still holds narrow lead". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
9. Shower, Mike (September 6, 2024). "Sen. Shower: Vote 'Yes on 2' to repeal RCV's voter suppression in Alaska". Alaska Watchman. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
10. Anchorage Daily News editorial board (October 19, 2024). "EDITORIAL: Should political parties or voters decide who represents Alaska?". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
11. "Native Leaders Organize to Defend Alaska's Ranked Choice Voting System". Bolts. Retrieved September 23, 2024.