Ballot Measure 2
Dear Editor: This election, I’m voting yes on ballot measure 2 because Alaskans should be able to vote for who they agree with the most rather than for who they disagree with the least.
Political parties in Alaska and across America present the illusion that people’s viewpoints can be divided into just two ideological buckets, with little wiggle room inside them. This is simply not the case, especially in Alaska. In fact, over half of the Alaskan voters identify as Nonpartisan or Undeclared. Though these voters have won through creativity in recent years, electing Sen. Lisa Murkowski through a write-in campaign in 2010 or compromising with democrats to elect Gov. Bill Walker in 2014, they have done this in spite of a system that works against their interests.
Think about it this way. If we approximate that 25% of Alaskans are Republicans, 15% are Democrats, and 60% are in the middle, then we would expect a high-functioning democracy to elect a lot of moderate candidates. Instead, we have a lot of Republicans, a lot of Democrats, and (as a result) a lot of gridlock. Budgets pass months after they’re due, the PFD’s future remains in flux, and broadly supported climate resilience measures fail to take hold.
This gridlock isn’t random – it’s perpetuated by our closed primary system. Under the current system, when a well-intentioned, coalition-building statesman or stateswoman works across the aisle to get things done (something we should laud), they usually face a more extreme primary challenger in the next election and often lose because their party’s primary excludes non-partisans. This process resembles running a business by assembling a team that can’t agree on anything and firing anyone who tries to strike compromise, replacing them with someone who’s more head-strong and less flexible.
Our low-functioning democracy needs an upgrade and ballot measure 2 offers a compelling solution. First, it puts all primary candidates on one ballot regardless of party, reducing partisan dominance over our choices and preventing anti-compromise polarization. Second, it carries the top four vote-getters into a general election where voters rank them. If your first choice didn’t get many votes on election day, then you get to pick your second choice instead! If you’re used to disliking both major parties, then you should see ranking candidates as an opportunity to vote your conscious AND still get to weigh in on the two front-runners. When all voters have this option, then political discourse gets more creative because “outside” candidates can be rightfully legitimized. Lastly, because it’s good to take out the trash while cleaning the house, ballot measure 2 tightens disclosure requirements on campaign money funneling through Super PACs and demands transparency on the true sources of “dark money.”
Election cycles scare me because they showcase two parties drifting farther apart and farther away from getting anything done. Vote Yes on 2 if you, like me, believe we can upgrade our democracy.
Johnny Elliott, Sitka
