Now is the time to be heard on open primaries and Ranked Choice Voting!
Testify in support of ranked-choice voting and open primaries!
The House Judiciary Committee needs to hear the same message that we sent to the House State Affairs Committee – that Alaskans want to keep our election system in place.
Keep an eye on our website and social channels for the next opportunity to testify.
Here are the details
WHAT: House State Affairs Committee hearing on House Bill 4
WHEN: TBC
HOW:
- In-person: In Juneau, testify in person at the Capitol, room 120.
- By phone: Call in to the legislative teleconference line at the following numbers and let them know that you want to provide public testimony to the House State Affairs Committee on House Bill 4. You will be placed on hold until it’s your turn to testify:
- from Juneau (including Juneau-based cell phones): 907-586-9085
- from Anchorage (including Anchorage-based cell phones): 907-563-9085
- from anywhere else: 1-844-586-9085
Public testimony is best when it’s simple. You will likely be limited to 2-3 minutes, but short and simple is the way to go. Remember to state clearly what your position is on the legislation (I oppose House Bill 4), then explain why.
One compelling argument is that legislators should respect the will of the voters, not vote to overturn a citizens’ initiative at the earliest opportunity. Some other reasons you might support the open primary:
- The open primary resulted in more competitive races.
- In 2022, every statewide Alaska primary provided voters with more choice.
- Voters polled said elections were more competitive than in the past.
- The open primary created a more diverse candidate pool.
- In 2022 statewide primaries, political diversity increased, meaning more candidates had the freedom to run without ties to a political party.
- Women entered Alaska’s 2022 statewide primaries at unprecedented numbers.
- The new system yielded a larger, more diverse candidate pool that mirrored Alaska demographics.
- In statewide races, winners earned broad support.
- No political ideology had an advantage. The same pool of voters elected a conservative Republican, a moderate Republican, and a Democrat.
- Winners were the 1st or 2nd choice of a majority of voters.
- Elected officials are already working more collaboratively.
- The Alaska State Senate organized as a 17 member coalition focused on consensus policymaking.
- The Alaska State House, which has the largest freshman class since 2003, organized an informal freshman bipartisan caucus to collaborate across party and formal caucus lines to do the business of the people.
- Alaskans overwhelmingly found the new system simple to use.
- In the first RCV election in August 2022, 85% of voters polled stated that filling out their ballots was “simple.”
- 99.8% of ballots were correctly filled out.
Thank you, again, for your willingness to help protect Alaska’s election reforms!
Juli Lucky
Executive Director
Alaskans for Better Elections