Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is calling on Alaskans to vote NO on Ballot Measure 2, which seeks to repeal Alaska’s open primary and ranked choice voting election system. Last week, the TCC Executive Board approved a resolution urging voters to support ranked choice voting, a system that has been instrumental in fostering collaboration, responsiveness, and increased voter engagement in Alaska.
“Our Tribes deserve the opportunity to vote for candidates who genuinely represent Tribal interests, and that is why our Executive Board approved this resolution,” said Brian Ridley, Chief of TCC. “Those in positions of political power can have significant impacts – both good and bad – on our rural communities. Ranked choice voting allows us to support leaders who prioritize collaboration and the well-being of our people, rather than extreme partisanship.”
Interior Alaska Natives frequently participate in multiple elections – local, regional, Tribal, and corporate – making an easily navigable system essential. Ranked choice voting has simplified the process for voters and broadened opportunities for Alaska Natives to run for and be elected to public office.
Current law provides Alaskans with more freedom, more choice, and a greater voice in government. Voters approved this system in 2020, and the results from the 2022 election have demonstrated its success in creating better public servants and encouraging a focus on good public policy over extreme partisanship.
“Alaskans deserve an opportunity to choose leaders who reflect their values, not political parties,” said Sharon Hildebrand, Vice President of TCC. ” Four years ago, Alaskans voted to implement the ranked choice system into our election process to put the power back into the hands of voters. It enhances our democracy, and gives Indigenous voters confidence that their voices and values can and will be represented at all levels of our government.”
TCC firmly believes that the open primary and ranked choice voting system strengthens democracy by increasing voter participation, restoring confidence in the electoral process, and promoting common sense governance.