Take action!
In 2022, Alaskans successfully used the open primary, ranked choice voting election system. In exit polls, voters said they found our current system simple, straightforward and that it created more choice for voters and more competition in our elections. Despite these successes, some politicians want to go back to a closed, partisan primary.
We need to take action NOW to stop the attempt to repeal the open primary. Here are 3 high impact things you can do!
Signing this petition shows legislators compelling evidence that a majority of Alaskans want to see them work together and approve of the reforms that resulted in better outcomes in the last election.
Please sign this petition asking legislators to oppose all attempts to repeal the electoral reforms approved by voters in 2020.
Writing to your legislator is an easy, high-impact way to move the needle. Research shows that personalized emails are the most compelling. Create and send a personalized email directly to your legislator using the link above.
Some reasons we’ve heard for supporting the open primary that you may want to include:
- The open primary removes barriers for people to run for office, encouraging more diverse candidates.
- Ranked choice voting is easy and lets me express my opinion on all the candidates.
- I thought last year’s elections were more competitive than previous years.
- I liked being able to choose from all candidates in the open primary.
- I voted for Ballot Measure 2 and still support the reforms that voters put in place.
The House State Affairs Committee will likely be considering legislation to repeal the Open Primary, in the next couple of weeks. Your testimony at the hearing would have a huge impact. While the bill hasn’t been scheduled for a hearing yet, you can sign up to get notified. You can also send written testimony to the committee today at House.State.Affairs@akleg.gov. A few notes on public testimony:
- Public testimony only takes 2 minutes! The time to testify is short and you can testify in person or by calling in from your own home.
- Public testimony is best when it’s simple. Telling your opinion in your own words is the most effective. Be sure to be clear what you’re asking for (please oppose House Bill 1) and simply explain why. A compelling argument is that legislators should respect the will of the voters; not vote to overturn a citizens’ initiative at the earliest opportunity.