Unpacking Alaska’s Push to Revoke Ranked Choice Voting

In this episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host Ben Carpenter welcomes Bernadette Wilson of Repeal Now Alaska to discuss the second effort to overturn Alaska’s ranked choice voting (RCV) system. They begin by defining RCV—how it replaced traditional closed primaries with an open “jungle primary” advancing the top four candidates and then allowing voters to rank their top four choices in a multi-round count—and critiquing its complexity and disenfranchisement of voters. Wilson explains the legal and logistical steps required for repeal: gathering just under 35,000 valid signatures from at least 35 of Alaska’s 40 house districts and submitting them by mid-January 2026 to qualify for the 2026 election. She outlines the statewide network of regional signature gatherers, the need for financial contributions to cover mailing and reporting costs, and the importance of correctly matching petition signatures and addresses to voter registration records. The conversation closes with a call to action for listeners to visit Repeal Now Alaska’s website: repealnowak.com or Facebook page to sign the petition, volunteer as signature gatherers, and donate—even small amounts help cover the cost of mailing petition books. The episode underscores the coalition’s commitment to a clear, straightforward voting process and encourages Alaskans—and interested non-residents—to get involved.