JUNEAU, ALASKA — The state's election system combines open primaries, where the top four vote-getters advance, with general elections run under a ranked choice system. This structure has prompted debate from some political leaders while supporters argue it ensures transparency and trust in democracy.

Tom Begich finished second in the Democratic primary for governor and subsequently withdrew from the race. The former state lawmaker stated that staying in the governor's race would have required millions of dollars. "Do I feel great about the decision? Of course not. How could I? But is it the right decision? Absolutely," Begich said.

He also stated that the Democratic Party was not involved in his final decision to withdraw. After withdrawing, Begich endorsed Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. The general election for governor features Kreiss-Tomkins and Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson, and Treg Taylor. Alaska's last Democratic governor left office in December 2002.

In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola won a combined 91% of the primary vote in August 2026. The general election features Sullivan, Peltola, Republican Dan J. Sullivan, and Republican Gerald Heikes. Dan J. Sullivan is a retired teacher. Gerald Heikes advanced to the U.S. Senate general election after fourth-place finisher David Leslie withdrew.

Nate Adams, spokesman for Senator Dan S. Sullivan, outlined the campaign's approach to the ranked choice format. "In November, our campaign’s strategy is simple: vote for Senator Dan S. Sullivan and fill out the ballot completely, so no game and no gimmick decides this race instead of Alaskans," Adams said.

In the U.S. House race, John Williams withdrew after advancing with less than 3% of the vote. Williams stated that Democrats urged him to drop out of the U.S. House race. The general election features Nick Begich and independent Bill Hill.

Damocrats recently endorsed Hill in the race. Matt Schultz suspended his U.S. House bid before the primary.

Schultz plans to support keeping the ranked choice voting system in place. "We need to make things much more transparent and predictable and understandable by the general public so that we can truly have trust in our democracy again," Schultz said. Juli Lucky is the executive director of Alaskans for Better Elections, a group supporting the current system.

Critics of the system include Carmela Warfield, the Alaska Republican Party chair, who has referred to ranked voting as a "mess" on social media. President Donald Trump has criticized Alaska's ranked voting system. Conservative activist David Boyle supports the effort to repeal ranked choice voting but advises Republican voters to rank GOP candidates in the governor's race.

"Ranked choice voting shouldn’t be an obstacle. It’s a game and we need to play that same game," Boyle said.

Support for open primaries and ranked voting is part of the Alaska Democratic Party platform. Maine is the only other state using ranked choice voting for its statewide races. Elijah Verhagen is a Republican from Nenana, Alaska.

Why It Matters

The outcome of the November 2026 ballot measure will determine the future of Alaska's election infrastructure. Voters narrowly rejected an effort to repeal the ranked choice voting system in 2024, indicating a divided electorate on the issue. The recent wave of candidate withdrawals in 2026 has renewed debate over the strategic implications of the top-four primary and ranked choice general election.

The system was first used in 2022, when Democrat Mary Peltola defeated Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich for Alaska's U.S. House seat. In 2024, Nick Begich defeated Mary Peltola for Alaska's U.S. House seat after another major Republican candidate withdrew following the primary. These results highlight how candidate decisions after the primary can shape the general election landscape under the current rules.

Timeline

Alaska first used the voter-approved top-four primary and ranked choice general election system in January 2022. In November 2022, Democrat Mary Peltola defeated Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich for Alaska's U.S. House seat.

Also in November 2024, Alaska voters narrowly rejected an effort to repeal the ranked choice voting system.

What's New

Additional reporting identifies the Alaska Republican Party as a major political party in the U.S. state of Alaska. The Alaska Democratic Party is also identified as a major political party in the U.S. state of Alaska.