Alaska Ranked Choice Voting Implementation

What is Ranked Choice Voting?
Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. In the 2020 general election,
voters approved an initiative to establish a Ranked Choice Voting general election system.

How does Ranked Choice Voting work?
In each race, voters will rank their choices in order of preference. Votes are counted in rounds.
This is what happens:

Round One:
The Division counts all 1st choices. If a candidate gets 50% + 1 vote in round one, that candidate wins and the counting stops.
If not, counting goes to Round Two.

Round Two (and beyond):
The candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated. If you voted for that candidate, your vote goes to your next choice
and you still have a say in who wins.
If your first choice candidate was not eliminated, your vote stays with them. Votes are counted again.

This keeps happening in rounds until two candidates are left and the one with the most votes wins.

What happens if I only vote for one candidate?
Your vote is counted in round one and your vote stays with your candidate throughout tabulation.

Is there a benefit of ranking multiple choices?
Yes. By ranking multiple candidates, you can still have a voice in who gets elected even if your top choice does not win.
Ranking multiple candidates ensures your vote will go toward your second. third, fourth, or fifth choice
if your top choice is eliminated, giving you more voice in who wins.

How do I mark my ballot in a Ranked Choice Voting election?
Fill in only one oval per candidate, in each column. You do not have to rank all the candidates.

Your second choice is only counted if your first choice candidate is eliminated.

Instructions: Vote by ranking candidates of your choice.

• Rank as many or as few candidates as you like
• Completely fill in no more than one oval for each candidate or column
• For your 1st choice, fill in the oval in the 1st choice column
• For your 2nd choice, fill in the oval in the 2nd choice column, and so on
• If you make a mistake, you can ask for a new ballot

Mistakes To Avoid

If you skip a ranking, your next ranking moves up. Here, if your first choice candidate is eliminated,
your third choice counts as your second choice and your fourth choice would count as your third choice.

If you skip two or more rankings in a row, only the rankings before the skipped rankings will count.
Here, your first choice counts and the fourth choice would not count.

If you give more than one candidate the same ranking, those rankings and later rankings will not count.
Here, only your first choice counts.

Your vote only counts once, even if you rank a candidate more than once.
When a candidate is eliminated in a round, they are eliminated from all future rounds.

Do I have to rank all candidates in the general election?
No. You may rank as many or as few candidates as you would like. If you do not want to rank a candidate, leave their row blank.

If I rank four candidates in a race, does that mean I got to vote four times?
No. You only get one vote counted per race. Your vote will only count toward your highest ranked candidate in that race
who has not been eliminated. If your top choice candidate is eliminated, your vote will then count toward your next highest ranked candidate.

What about write-in candidates?
To vote for a candidate whose name is not on the ballot, write the person’s name on the “Write-in” line, and fill in an oval to rank your choice.
Write-in candidates will only advance if they come in first or a close second in the initial results. Ballot Measure No. 2 did not change the law
for write-in candidates, so the Division issued a regulation at 6 AAC 25.071.

Write-ins will only be counted if the aggregate of all first choice votes cast for all write-ins for the particular office is:

1. The highest number of first choice votes received by any candidate for the office or

2. The second highest and the difference between the total number of first choice votes received by the leading candidate and

the first choice votes received by all the write-in candidates is less than .5 percent. (That percentage is calculated by dividing

the difference by the total number of first choice votes received by the leading candidate and the write-ins.)

If the write-ins do not meet the above requirements, all write-in candidates are defeated. If the write-ins do clear this threshold,
by leading or coming in a close second in the first round, the Division will count the write-ins and treat them as individual
candidates in the ranked choice tabulation.

What happens if there is a tie during one of the tabulation rounds? Which candidate gets to advance?
In the event of a tie between two candidates with the fewest votes in a round, Alaska law says the tie is resolved “by lot”
to determine which candidate is eliminated and which candidate advances to the next round. Believe it or not, “by lot” means
the division’s director will flip a coin or draw straws. The same applies if there is a tie for the last two remaining candidates.

How will I know when and why my candidates were eliminated?
Results reports showing how many votes each candidate had in every round and how votes were transferred when candidates were
eliminated will be available on the Division’s website, in addition to a summary report showing the final votes tallied for the winning candidate.

When and where will the tabulation rounds take place?
Tabulation rounds will begin after the last counting of ballots on the 15th day following election day (November 23, 2022).
This will happen in Juneau at the Director’s Office. Just like past elections, all results are unofficial until the State Review Board
certifies the election and all eligible absentee and questioned votes are counted.

What offices are elected using Ranked Choice Voting?
The bill includes President/Vice President, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor/Lieutenant Governor, and all state representatives and state senators.

Will Ranked Choice Voting be used for judges and ballot measures?
No. All judicial retentions and ballot measures will continue to run in the same yes or no fashion as in past elections.

When is the first election the Ranked Choice Voting system will be used?
The August 16, 2022 Special General Election.

Will this information be available in other languages?
Yes. View translated Ranked Choice Voting pages here:

Yukon Yup’ik ❯	Hooper Bay Yup’ik ❯	Gwich'in ❯	NORTON SOUND KOTLIK YUP’IK ❯
Bristol Bay Yup’ik ❯	CHEVAK CUP'IK ❯	General Central Yup’ik ❯	Spanish ❯