Alaska Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2026)

Alaska Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
Election date November 3, 2026
Topic Campaign finance and Primary election systems
Status Qualified for the ballot
Type Indirect initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

The Alaska Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative has qualified for the ballot in Alaska as an indirect initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.

A "yes" vote supports: eliminating the top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting general elections in Alaska,  establishing a party primary system, and eliminating campaign finance provisions that require persons and entities that contribute more than $2,000 that were themselves derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources (as defined in law) of the political contributions.

A "no" vote opposes eliminating the campaign finance provisions, top-four primaries, and ranked-choice voting general elections in Alaska, thus keeping top-four primaries, ranked-choice voting general elections, and campaign finance provisions approved by voters in 2020.

Overview

How would this ballot measure change Alaska's electoral system?

See also: Measure design

This initiative would eliminate the state's top-four ranked-choice voting (RCV) system, which voters approved in 2020. It would then replace the state's ranked-choice voting system with partisan primaries and general elections in which the candidate who received the highest number of votes won the election, which were in place prior to voters approving RCV in 2020. Known as plurality voting or first-past-the-post, the candidate would not have needed to win an outright majority to be elected. This is the most common voting system used in the United States.

Currently, Alaska uses top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) in general elections. Under this system, candidates run in a single primary election, regardless of a candidate's party affiliation. The four candidates that receive the most votes advance to the general election. At the general election, voters elect state and federal candidates using RCV. For state executive, state legislative, and congressional elections, voters rank the four candidates that advanced from their top-four primaries. A candidate needs a simple majority of the vote (50%+1) to be declared the winner of an election. If no candidate wins a simple majority of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice have their votes redistributed to their second choice. The tabulation process continues in rounds until there are two candidates remaining, and the candidate with the greatest number of votes is declared the winner.

Did Alaska voters decide on RCV before?

See also: Background

In 2020, Alaska voters adopted RCV by approving Ballot Measure 2. Voters approved the measure by 50.55%-49.45%.

In 2024, voters decided on another measure related to RCV, also called Ballot Measure 2. This measure was designed to repeal the top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting system approved by voters in 2020, but was not designed to make changes to the campaign finance disclosure requirements also included in the 2020 Ballot Measure 2. On November 5, 2024, voters rejected the measure with 49.9% voting 'yes' and 50.1% voting 'no'. As of 2026, this was the narrowest ballot measure result in Alaska's history.

Do other states use ranked-choice voting?

See also: Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

One other state, Maine, has adopted ranked-choice voting at the state level. Maine voters approved Question 5 in 2016, which adopted ranked-choice voting for congressional, state legislative, and gubernatorial elections. One other state, Hawaii, has implemented RCV in special federal elections and county council vacancies.

As of 2026, fourteen additional states contained jurisdictions that had implemented RCV at the local level. Seventeen states had enacted legislation banning the use of ranked-choice voting in statewide or local elections.

Measure design

Click on the following sections for summaries of the ballot measure’s provisions.

Expand All

Replace top-four primaries with partisan primaries

This measure would replace Alaska's top-four primaries with partisan primaries.

Current system

As of 2026, Alaska uses a top-four primary system, which requires candidates, regardless of their party affiliation, to run in the same primary election for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices. Voters, regardless of their party affiliation, would all vote in the same primary election.

On the top-four primary ballot, candidates that are registered with a political party could have the party designated after their name, upon their request. Candidates would also be allowed to request that nonpartisan or undeclared be placed after their name. If the candidate did not request any designation, the candidate would have undeclared placed after the candidate's name. Under the top-four primary system, the four candidates that receive the greatest number of votes would move on to the general election.

Proposed system

Under this initiative, top-four primaries would be replaced with partisan primary elections. A political party could decide whether to hold an open or closed primary. An open primary is any primary election in which a voter does not have to formally affiliate with a political party in order to vote in its primary. A closed primary is a type of primary election in which a voter must affiliate formally with a political party in advance of the election date in order to participate in that party's primary. Voters would only be able to vote on one primary election ballot. The candidate that receives the highest number of votes in a party’s political primary would proceed to the general election ballot.

Replace ranked-choice voting general elections with plurality voting general elections

This measure would replace ranked-choice voting general elections with plurality voting general elections.

Current system

As of 2026, Alaska uses ranked-choice voting (RCV) for general elections. Under this system, voters rank the candidates for a given office by preference on their ballots. A candidate would need a simple majority of the vote (50%+1) to be declared the winner of an election. If no candidate wins a simple majority of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice would have their votes redistributed to their second choice. The tabulation process would continue in rounds until there are two candidates remaining, and the candidate with the greatest number of votes would be declared the winner.

Proposed system

Under this measure, a candidate who receives the plurality of votes is declared the winner of an election. The candidate need not win an outright majority to be elected. This system is sometimes referred to as plurality voting, first-past-the-post, or winner-take-all. This is the most common voting system used in the United States.

Campaign finance disclosure changes

This measure would make changes to campaign finance disclosures.

Current law

As of 2026, Alaska campaign finance law requires persons and entities that contribute more than $2,000 per year from funds that were themselves derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources of the political contributions. True sources are defined as persons and entities whose contributions are derived from wages, investment income, inheritance, or revenue from selling goods or services. Organizations that receive less than $2,000 in dues or contributions per person per year are considered the true source. Political communications that are paid for by outside-funded entities need to include a statement the majority of contributions to the entity came from outside of Alaska. Outside-funded entities are defined as entities that make independent expenditures in candidate elections and that received more than 50 percent of their aggregate contributions during the past year from true sources that resided or had their principal place of business outside of Alaska.

Proposed law

This measure would repeal provisions of Alaska campaign finance law to require the disclosure of the true source of political contributions over $2,000. It would remove the political communication disclosure requirement for outside-funded entities.

Text of measure

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure is below:

Expand

Support

Supporters

Officials

• U.S. Rep. Nicholas Begich (R)
• Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R)

Arguments

• Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R): "Ranked-choice voting was pitched as a reform to solve a problem that, frankly, didn’t exist in Alaska. We were told it would reduce partisanship, promote consensus candidates, and make elections more fair. In reality, what we got was a system that confused voters, made outcomes less transparent, and created deep concerns about how votes are tabulated and who ultimately decides an election."
• Judy Eledge, chair of Repeal Now: "We really feel like there should be one vote, one person in the United States. We're [one] of two states in the United States that has ranked choice voting. It's extremely confusing to people, most certainly people that are maybe older and don't understand it ... we're just wanting to get rid of it because we just don't think it's a fair system."

Opposition

Opponents

Ballotpedia has not located a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure. You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Arguments

• Rebecca Braun, member of the Better Elections Board: "It might not be perfect, but I think that it’s better. I don’t think there’s any voting system that like has no distortions. Mathematicians study this, and there’s almost nothing where you have 100% perfect outcomes. But this seems like to me a better system."

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Alaska ballot measures

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through October 7, 2025.

Repeal Now is the campaign registered in support of the initiative. The campaign reported $247,356.45 in contributions and 185,455.95 in expenditures.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$232,870.50	$14,485.95	$247,356.45	$170,970.00	$185,455.95
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$232,870.50	$14,485.95	$247,356.45	$170,970.00	$185,455.95

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure.

Committees in support of Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Repeal Now	$232,870.50	$14,485.95	$247,356.45	$170,970.00	$185,455.95
Total	$232,870.50	$14,485.95	$247,356.45	$170,970.00	$185,455.95

Donors

The following were the top donors who contributed to the support committees.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Aurora Action Network	$181,000.00	$0.00	$181,000.00
Beautiful America	$7,450.00	$934.70	$8,384.70
Lucy Bauer	$5,200.00	$169.00	$5,369.00
Anchorage Republican Womens Club	$3,000.00	$0.00	$3,000.00
Capital City Republican Women	$3,000.00	$0.00	$3,000.00

Background

2020 Alaska Ballot Measure 2

See also: Alaska Ballot Measure 2 (2020)

In 2020, Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 2, which established top-four primaries, ranked-choice voting, and new campaign finance disclosure laws in the state. On November 3, 2020, voters approved the measure by 50.55%-49.45%. This measure was a citizen-initiated state statute, and made the ballot after enough valid signatures were submitted by Alaskans for Better Elections, and verified.

Ballot Measure 2 made changes to Alaska's election policies, including:

• Requiring persons and entities that contribute more than $2,000 that were themselves derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources (as defined by Measure 2) of the political contributions;

• Replacing partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices; and

• Establishing ranked-choice voting for general elections, including for presidential elections, in which voters can rank the candidates that succeeded from the primaries.

In December 2020, a lawsuit was filed by the Alaskan Independence Party, Scott Kohlhaas, Robert M. Bird, and Kenneth P. Jacobus, against the state, declaring that Ballot Measure 2 was unconstitutional. The plaintiffs argued that Ballot Measure 2 violated their rights to free political association, free speech, and due process under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and Article 1 of the Alaska Constitution. On July 29, 2021, Ballot Measure 2 was upheld by Judge Gregory Miller, who wrote in his opinion that plaintiffs had "not met their burden of showing that any part of the new law is unconstitutional on its face." The decision was then appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court. On January 19, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the measure was constitutional.

2024 Alaska Ballot Measure 2

See also: Alaska Ballot Measure 2 (2024)

In 2024, Alaskan voters rejected a measure to repeal the top-four primaries and RCV that were approved by voters in 2020. This initiative, also called Ballot Measure 2, qualified for the ballot after the Alaskans for Honest Elections campaign submitted enough verified signatures. On November 5, 2024, voters rejected the measure with 49.88% voting 'yes' and 50.12% voting 'no'. As of 2026, this was the narrowest ballot measure result in Alaska's history, with a vote margin of -0.23%.

This measure was designed to repeal the top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting system approved by voters in 2020, but was not designed to make changes to the campaign finance disclosure requirements also included in the 2020 Ballot Measure 2.

Top-four primary

See also: Top-four primary

A top-four primary is a type of primary election where all candidates are listed on the same ballot. Voters are allowed to choose one candidate per office regardless of the candidate's party affiliation. The top four vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliations. Consequently, it is possible for four candidates belonging to the same political party to win in a top-four primary and face off in the general election.

Top-four primaries are similar to top-two primaries. As of September 2025, five states used top-two style primaries for at least some or all congressional and statewide primaries. Alaska was the only state that used a top-four system.

Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

See also: Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

A ranked-choice voting system (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots.

There are multiple forms of ranked-choice voting. In instant-runoff voting, the most commonly used form of RCV for single-winner elections, if a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, they are the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. Ballots that ranked a failed candidate as their first, or highest choice, depending on the round, are then reevaluated and counted as first-preference ballots for the next-highest-ranked candidate in that round. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of ballots. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. Elements of this process, such as the number of candidates eliminated in each round, may vary by jurisdiction.

As of January 2026, eight states had laws authorizing or requiring the use of RCV for certain elections, while 17 states had laws prohibiting or restricting the use of RCV.

• RCV used statewide: Three states use RCV statewide. Alaska and Maine use RCV in some federal and statewide elections, while Hawaii uses it for certain statewide elections.
• RCV used (or scheduled for use) in some localities: Fourteen states contain localities that either use or are scheduled to begin using RCV in municipal elections.
• RCV prohibited: Seventeen states have adopted laws prohibiting the use of RCV in any elections.
• No laws addressing RCV, not in use: Twenty-two states have no laws addressing RCV, and neither the state nor any localities in the state use it.

History of ranked-choice voting ballot measures

As of 2025, a total of 14 measures regarding RCV were decided at the statewide level. Of these, 12 measures were designed to establish or support RCV, while two measures were designed to repeal or oppose RCV. Of the pro-RCV measures, five (41.7%) were approved and seven (58.3%) were defeated. Of the two anti RCV measures, one was approved, and one was defeated.

State	Year	Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
AK	2024	IndISS	Ballot Measure 2	Repeal the top-four ranked-choice voting (RCV) system that was adopted in 2020		160,230 (50%)	160,973 (50%)
AZ	2024	CICA	Proposition 140	Require primaries in which candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, appear on a single ballot and a certain number advance to the general election, and require general election candidates to receive a majority of votes		1,284,176 (41%)	1,823,445 (59%)
CO	2024	CISS	Proposition 131	Establish top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Colorado		1,385,060 (46%)	1,595,256 (54%)
ID	2024	CISS	Proposition 1	Establish top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal, state, and certain local offices in Idaho		269,960 (30%)	618,753 (70%)
MO	2024	LRCA	Amendment 7	Prohibit the state and local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote and ranked-choice voting	a	1,966,852 (68%)	906,851 (32%)
NV	2024	CICA	Question 3	Establish top-five primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Nevada		664,011 (47%)	747,719 (53%)
OR	2024	LRSS	Measure 117	Establish ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Oregon		893,668 (42%)	1,219,013 (58%)
NV	2022	CICA	Question 3	Provide for open top-five primaries and ranked-choice voting for general elections	a	524,868 (53%)	466,635 (47%)
AK	2020	IndISS	Ballot Measure 2	Changes to Alaska's election policies, including top-four primaries, ranked-choice voting, and campaign finance laws	a	174,032 (51%)	170,251 (49%)
MA	2020	IndISS	Question 2	Enacts a ranked-choice voting system for elections in Massachusetts		1,549,919 (45%)	1,877,447 (55%)
ME	2018	VR	Question 1	Overturn sections of Legislative Document 1646 (LD 1646), which was written to postpone and repeal ranked-choice voting (RCV) unless a constitutional amendment was passed before December 1, 2021, to enable the legislature to determine election methods.	a	149,900 (54%)	128,291 (46%)
ME	2016	IndISS	Question 5	Adopt ranked-choice voting for congressional, state legislative, and gubernatorial elections	a	388,273 (52%)	356,621 (48%)
AK	2002	IndISS	Ballot Measure 1	Establish ranked-choice voting elections for state legislative, congressional, and presidential elections		39,666 (36%)	69,683 (64%)
OR	1908	CICA	Measure Nos. 328-329	Allow for alternative state electoral systems	a	48,868 (59%)	34,128 (41%)

Path to the ballot

Process in Alaska

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Alaska

An indirect initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are nine (9) states that allow citizens to initiate indirect state statutes.

While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators have a certain number of days, depending on the state, to adopt the initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.

In Alaska, the number of signatures required for an indirect initiated state statute is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last general election. Furthermore, proponents need to collect signatures in each of three-fourths (30) of Alaska's 40 state House districts. Signatures from each of the districts need to equal 7% of the districtwide vote in the last general election.

If the lieutenant governor certifies enough signatures as valid, the Alaska State Legislature can approve the indirect initiative or equivalent legislation, keeping the measure off the ballot. Otherwise, the initiative is certified to appear on the ballot for the first statewide election 120 days after the legislature's adjournment. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

The requirements to get an indirectly initiated state statute certified for the 2026 ballot:

• Signatures: 34,098 valid signatures were required.
• Deadline: 365 days after the lieutenant governor prepared petitions, whichever comes first.

Stages of this ballot initiative

• December 26, 2024: The ballot initiative was filed with the Division of Elections.
• February 17, 2025: Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom approved the initiative for signature gathering.
• November 6, 2025: Repeal Now members submitted 48,000 signatures to the Division of Elections office.
• December 31, 2025: Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom announced that the initiative verified 42,837 qualified signatures across 40 house districts, exceeding the required minimum of 34,098 qualified signatures across 30 house districts.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Alaska

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Alaska.

How to vote in Alaska

Poll times

In Alaska, polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. Alaska is divided between the Alaska time zone and the Hawaii-Aleutian time zone. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Alaska, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Alaska, and at least 18 years of age or within 90 days of their 18th birthday. An individual convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude may not register to vote until their voting rights have been restored. If registered to vote in another state, applicants must be willing to cancel that registration to vote in Alaska. To vote in Alaska, registered voters must be at least 18 years old and have been a resident of the state and election district for at least 30 days.

Prospective voters can register online, with a paper form, or in person at a Division of Elections Office or a voter registration agency. The deadline to register or make changes to a registration is 30 days before an election.

If submitting an application form by mail, fax, or email, the applicant must provide one of the following forms of identification either with his or her application or when voting for the first time:

“

Current and valid photo identification Driver’s license Passport State identification card Birth certificate Hunting and Fishing license.

”

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Alaska automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they apply for a Permanent Fund Dividend, unless they opt out.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Alaska has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Alaska allows same-day voter registration in presidential election years, but voters who do so can vote only for the offices of president and vice president.

Residency requirements

Alaska law requires voters to be a "resident of the state and of the election district that you seek to vote in for at least 30 days before an election," according to the Alaska Division of Elections.

According to the Division of Elections' website, "you are considered an Alaska resident if you reside in the state and intend to remain a resident or, if you temporarily leave the state, you have intention to return (Active military members, spouses or dependents are exempt from the intent to return requirement)."

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Alaska does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site My Voter Information, run by the Alaska Department of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Alaska requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting.

The following were accepted forms of identification as of November 2025. Click here for the list of acceptable identification included in state statute to ensure you have the most current information.

“

(a) Before being allowed to vote, each voter shall exhibit to an election official one form of identification, including (1) an official voter registration card, driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or fishing license; or (2) an original or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item exhibited under this paragraph must show the name and current address of the voter.

”

To view Alaska law pertaining to voter identification, click here.

See also

2026 ballot measures

View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in Alaska.

• 2026 ballot measures
• Alaska 2026 ballot measures
• Alaska elections, 2026

Alaska ballot measures

Explore Alaska's ballot measure history, including citizen-initiated ballot measures.

• List of Alaska ballot measures
• Alaska Historical Ballot Measures Factbook
• Electoral systems ballot measures
• Alaska State Legislature

Initiative process

Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.

• Laws governing the initiative process in Alaska
• Initiated state statute
• Alaska Constitution

External links

• Text of Initiative
• Alaska Petitions Approved for Circulation (2026)

Footnotes

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