Alaska’s Early Voting Begins Amid Ranked-Choice Delays

Nate 2026-10-18

Hey Steve. I told M John that I will accept his challenge. And I will add yours to the mix as well. My hypothesis is that your 90-95% figure samples in district races, which are way less competitive usually than statewide races. I would also hypothesize that there is far greater dropoff in military votes between the top of the ticket and the bottom of the ticket. So lets continue the conversation later.

Nate 2026-10-18

John I wrote this from memory dating back to 1990, my first year in Fairbanks. But I accept your challenge. And will look at the election night #s tonite during Sunday Night Football. I recall with certitude that Joe Miller insisted he won in 2010 even after the final tally was completed. But I will also check my memory later and respond back. I approach those with opposing views with civility and in good faith. I hope you will do the same.

M.John 2026-10-18

“But that was the case before ranked choice voting too….” No, it wasn’t. That claim is an outright lie. The rules you mention have been in place for a very long time, yet, before RCV was put in place, we knew the winners on election night, with very few exceptions. Absentee and outside military ballots only came into real play in the case of extremely close races, which were rare.
Speaking of outright lies, I’m looking at a “No on 2” mail flyer right now. It says that we should vote “no” on 2 to prevent “outside dark money” from influencing our elections. The little white box in the corner of the mailing tells me that the top three contributors are Unite America PAC. Denver, Co; Voters for the American Center, Inc, Washington, DC; and NEA, Washington, DC. They are literally using millions of dollars in outside dark money to rail against outside dark money. That is direct hypocrisy.
I rest my case.
They can’t win if they can’t cheat and they know it.

Steve-O 2026-10-18

Those who like rank voting claim it doesn’t delay election results, what they are speaking of is specifically the official results. Before rank voting the unofficial results were close enough in 95%-99% of our elections that we knew who the leading candidate was, often with 100% certainty…if not with the official government stamp. It’s beyond disingenuous to suggest otherwise, but then supporters of rank voting have made that part and parcel of their argument.

ItsyBitsy 2026-10-18

Ranked choice doesn’t delay our election returns. Alaska allows absentee ballots to arrive from our overseas service members and other Alaskans as late as 10 days after election day. Which is good and proper. None of this has to do with ranked choice voting.

Nate 2026-10-18

The headline says “Alaska could wait weeks to learn who won due to ranked choice voting delays.”
It is true that Alaskans wait 15 days between election night and final tabulation. But that was the case before ranked choice voting too because the 15 days represents the extended period in which absentee and military ballots postmarked by Election Day must be counted under preexisting election law.
Is there any evidence whatsoever that Alaskans would know with certainty who “officially” won prior to that 15 day deadline? I understand that the answer to that question is “NO.” And spot checks of official results prior to the advent of ranked choice voting validate that this is the case. Prove me wrong but my understanding is that the ranked choice tabulation in 2022 was released on the 15th day, hours after all ballots received by the 15 day deadline for receipt of ballots passed.
To the extent that ranked choice calculations delayed the announcement it was by hours (maybe) not days.
Although retired I awaited the live broadcast along with the other handful of addicted political junkies. Unlike 2010 and 2016 where my livelihood and health insurance was at stake, I had NO dog in the 2022 fight.
OK, allow me to rebut my own argument. Prior to ranked choice voting the same politics addicts played this parlor game called how many late ballots were out there and how did they break. And sometime based on these unofficial calculations a candidate might concede. Unless they were named Joe Miller and initially planned to litigate Lisa’s apparent victory until global warming causes Alaska to fully melt. Yes, that is sarcasm.
I appreciate that ranked choice voting may interrupt the parlor game because theoretically it makes deciding how votes might break a bit harder. But hey, its just a parlor game among the few insiders who are sitting on pins and needles. At times relieving their anxiety with outbursts of “The System is rigged.”
Now to the issue of the transition, which is a legitimate topic for discussion– especially this year. Given that none of the candidates for Governor has state experience, save Treg Taylor, it is malpractice that they have not already laid the groundwork for the transition. This year they darn better have laid the groundwork for determining who the entourage might be and line up commitments. It would be too much to ask that some of these names be publicly known before the election. Because I might not trust a Governor on training wheels. Unless I knew and had confidence in who stood behind thaf Governor.
So to review, unless Alaska (1) counts sll of the rural/remote votes on election day itself (2) requires absentee and military ballots arrive on or before election day and (3) tabulates those that are received on the same day they are received, there is NO WAY that Alaskans will know on election night that who won. Nor the day after or even the day after that.
CONCLUSION: Ranked Choice Voting DOES NOT DELAY the count. Generous polici

Julia 2026-10-18

But do not rank any Democrats or Independents.

MQ 2026-10-18

Rank the red folks. Rank the red!

Kevin C Nye 2026-10-18

The ONLY thing I have real confidence on in this election is that we who want to repeal Ranked Choice Voting will prevail. I don’t think that Bill Hill will win, but, he might. I think Bronson and Taylor have totally fukced us. And Sullivan, the only grown up in the Senatorial race could lose to Peltola. But I still have hopes that he’ll prevail. In regard to this article, the extra amount of time that it will take the RCV garnered votes to be counted should be reason enough for every Alaskan to throw out RCV. But since it works in favor of RINOs and Democrats, they won’t vote to throw it out. So, I’ll cast my votes and like many, I will pray to the Almighty up above…