‘Free, Fair, and Honest Elections’
By SUZANNE DOWNING
April 10, 2026 – President Donald Trump weighed in on Alaska politics Friday, issuing a rare social media message focused specifically on the state and throwing his support behind efforts to repeal ranked-choice voting in 2026.
In a post addressed to “The Wonderful People of Alaska,” Trump said Alaskans “desperately want to restore Free, Fair, and Honest Elections” and predicted voters will repeal the state’s ranked-choice voting system in the November 3, 2026 election.
Trump also singled out several Alaska Republicans by name, congratulating Gov. Mike Dunleavy, US Sen. Dan Sullivan, US Congressman Nick Begich, and Alaska GOP Chair Carmela Warfield, saying they are working to restore “TRUE ‘Democracy’ to Alaska Elections.” He did not mention Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
“RANKED-CHOICE VOTING IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO DEMOCRACY,” Trump wrote. “Every single Alaskan should support the effort to repeal it once and for all.”
The new repeal of ranked-choice voting has three sponsors: Judy Eledge, gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson, and former state Rep. Ken McCarty.
The president’s post marks one of the most direct interventions by Trump into Alaska’s election system debate, which has remained a central political issue in the state since voters narrowly approved Ballot Measure 2 in 2020. That measure replaced traditional party primaries with an open “jungle” primary and created a ranked-choice, top-four general election.
The new jungle primary, top four general election was heavily financed by liberal Outside groups and has produced confusing ballots, delayed results, and outcomes that at times don’t reflect traditional majority support. It has not reduced partisan polarization.
Alaskans nearly repealed the system once already. In 2024, a ballot initiative to overturn ranked-choice voting fell short by roughly 740 votes after weeks of ballot counting, one of the closest statewide election outcomes in Alaska history.
The 2026 repeal effort now gives voters a second chance to decide whether to keep or discard the voting method.
Since its adoption, ranked-choice voting has been used in statewide elections in 2022 and 2024, reshaping campaign strategies and election outcomes. The system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with ballots redistributed until one candidate receives a majority.
Critics have argued the system effectively weakens party primaries and allows candidates with lower first-choice support to win after multiple rounds of tabulation. Others say the method gives voters more choice and ensures winners receive majority backing.
Trump’s endorsement is likely to energize repeal supporters, particularly among Republican voters who have been some of the most vocal critics of the system.
The repeal question is expected to appear on the November 2026 general election ballot, setting up what is likely to be another closely watched and potentially narrow statewide vote.
One thought on “President Trump advocates for repeal of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting”
Woot woot!
See I told you world leaders including President Trump they got their eyes on Alaska. They are watching what is happening up here because of its strategic geographic location. The Arctic.
But I think votes will be narrow margin again and likely narrowly passing. We just have to keep putting it on the ballot over n over again like the annoying widow in New Testement who presented her case day n day out to the judge and he eventually gave in so he was not worn out.