Alaskans went to the polls this week for the first time using a new ranked choice system that’s already under attack by a number of the politicians competing within it, and voters, in interviews, offered wide-ranging reviews.
Many said they like the new system, and called it intuitive. But there was also venom from voters across the political spectrum — even though much of the criticism of ranked choice, narrowly approved by voters in 2020, has so far come from conservatives who assert that it was set up to protect incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski from right-wing challengers.
“I think the ranked choice thing is ridiculous, and I think most voters didn’t know what the heck they were voting for,” said Joanne Lauer, who said she picked Democrat Mary Peltola as her top choice in Tuesday’s ranked choice election for Alaska’s open seat in the U.S. House.
