The democratic process matters; whether elections are national or local, every vote
counts.
Ballot and Rank Choice Voting
Ballot: Look at a sample ballot here for the General Election 2022.
This upcoming election will be ranked choice voting. If you’ve voted before, this
might be different from the kind of voting you’ve done in the past. This new method
was chosen by voters in 2020.
Instead of choosing the single best candidate, you will rank candidates from most
preferred to least preferred. You do not have to rank all candidates, and there is
a write-in option as well.
There are rounds in this voting method. In Round One, all first choice candidates
are counted - if ANY candidate gets 50% + 1 vote, they win and counting stops.
If no one gets 50% + 1 in Round One, Round Two begins. The candidate with the fewest
votes gets eliminated, and if you voted for that candidate, your vote gets moved to
your second choice candidate (if you selected one). If your first choice candidate
is not eliminated, your vote stays with them. Votes are again counted. If a candidate
gets 50% + 1 in Round Two, they win. If not, this process continues (removing the
lowest vote getter, and retabulating vote counts with third/fourth/fifth choice candidates
as needed) until ANY candidate gets 50% + 1 to win the election.
Rank choice voting gives people agency with voting, in that it allows people to choose
candidates without worrying about splitting votes, and therefore better represents
the views of the people. It can also help to disrupt the traditional two party system
that many don’t find themselves represented within.
Critical Thinking With Elections
For Alaska’s upcoming election, make sure to look through Alaska Public Media’s Candidate Comparison tool to understand who is up for election, and which candidates reflect your values. This
can help you decide who to vote for. If you have topics that you care most about,
how do candidates respond to it? This can be a helpful method for deciding who most
aligns with your beliefs, and who you think would be the best leader for Alaska’s
different open positions.
It can be difficult to know who to vote for, or how to know what a candidate really
believes. Here are some resources to help you weigh your options and sort through
all the election media:
Additional research tools:
- FollowTheMoney.org allows you to research pending and passed ballot measures to see how much money was
raised in support and opposition of the measure - and by who. Alaska’s Constitutional
Convention is there, and you can search for measures you are most interested in.
- Govtrack.us allows you to find how your representatives voted on specific legislation, what bills
they sponsored, and more. This can help you to decide whether you agree or disagree
with how your elected officials are spending their time and power.
- Pew Research Center is a non-partisan fact tank, and this political typology quiz can help you better understand what group you fall within, from Progressive Left
to Faith and Flag Conservatives. It shows the percentage of the public that are within
your same group, distinguishing features, and what you believe versus what the general
population believes. It also allows you to explore all 9 groups to understand other
perspectives and belief systems. Read this article to learn more about the typologies.
For Alaska’s upcoming election, make sure to look through Alaska Public Media’s Candidate Comparison tool to understand who is up for election, and which candidates reflect your values. This
can help you decide who to vote for. If you have topics that you care most about,
how do candidates respond to it? This can be a helpful method for deciding who most
aligns with your beliefs, and who you think would be the best leader for Alaska’s
different open positions.
Voter Registration
Did you know voter registration in Alaska is part of the PFD application? If you've
applied for the PFD, you're likely registered to vote!
In anticipation for Election Day, check your registration status to confirm your ballot accurately represents your options.
If you are currently or formerly justice-involved, check out the Division of Elections’ voter rights page and the U.S. Vote Foundation’s voter rights restoration page, to understand your voting rights.
The deadline to register for the November 8th general election was October 9th, but it’s always a good time to get registered for the next election. The deadline to request absentee ballots was October 29th.
Why Your Registration Matters
Not only does your voter registration validate your eligibility to vote, your voter
registration informs two important steps in the voting process:
- What is on Your Ballot
Your ballot represents positions, candidates and propositions specific to where you
live. Your residential address determines which issues and people will appear on your ballot; you'll vote on the
candidates and issues that represent your community!
- Where Your Ballot Goes
Your Muni ballot is sent directly to you at your mailing address. Your mailing address may be different than your residential address and that's okay!
