Alaska ranked choice voting is drawing national attention as voters decide a closely watched Senate contest that could influence control of the upper chamber in Washington. The election has also raised questions about ballot confusion involving two candidates with nearly identical names.
Under Alaska’s voting system, voters rank candidates by preference rather than selecting just one. The state introduced the system in 2022, combining an open primary with a general election featuring the four highest-performing candidates.
How Alaska Ranked Choice Voting Determines the Winner
A candidate who receives more than 50% of first-choice votes wins outright. Otherwise, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their supporters’ ballots are redistributed according to their next preferences. The process continues until someone secures a majority.
The Senate ballot includes Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan, former teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, Republican Gerald Heikes and Democrat Mary Peltola. In the August primary, Peltola received 49.5%, while the incumbent secured 41.4%. Daniel J. Sullivan received 2.5%.
The similar names prompted legal challenges and concerns about voter confusion. A federal judge recently dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to restrict certification if the incumbent loses. The department plans to appeal. Vote counting could take weeks because of remote communities, mail ballots and multiple tabulation rounds. Officials are targeting November 25 for certification.
