Ballot Measure 2, repeal of Alaska’s election system, trails with many votes uncounted

This article is developing and will be updated.

A ballot measure seeking to repeal Alaska’s open-primary and ranked-choice election system is trailing in early vote counting, according to preliminary results posted Tuesday evening by the Alaska Division of Elections.

With 45 of 400 precincts reporting results Tuesday night, “no” on repeal led “yes” by 56.7% to 43.3%.

In 2024, a similar repeal measure led on Election Day but as more absentee and early votes were counted, the no-repeal side took the lead and won, preserving the system for this year’s election.

If Ballot Measure 2 passes this year, it would repeal the state’s current system of elections, in which all candidates for an office run together and the top four vote-getters advance from the primary to the general election, which uses ranked-choice voting.

In place of that system, Alaska would return to party-run primaries, where political parties set the rules for who may participate. One candidate from each party would advance to the general election, and ranked choice voting would not be used.

In addition, the state would no longer have a law requiring third-party political donors to disclose the source of their money; contributors would be able to give money anonymously.

Because of a conflict with Ballot Measure 1, passed during the August primary election, enacting Ballot Measure 2 likely also would eliminate a limit on direct financial donations to governor candidates, allowing donors to give unlimited amounts of money in governor races. A final ruling on that elimination would take place after the election.

Both sides of the issue were principally funded by out-of-state donors. Advocates of Ballot Measure 2 raised about $2.5 million, less than one-quarter of the amount raised by supporters of the existing system.