Open Primaries
Five Ways Election Reform Has Revamped Alaska Politics
Open primaries and ranked choice voting are no longer new but are still delivering for voters and leaders alike.
Time to Tune Up Washington’s Primaries
Once the most innovative in the nation, the top-two model is showing cracks. Here’s how the Evergreen State can upgrade.
Election Reform Measures Lost; Election Reform Didn’t
What to learn—and what to leave behind—from the 2024 ballot measure losses in Cascadia.
Idaho Has a Spoiler Problem
Closed primaries exclude voters, encourage divisive behavior, and can subvert the will of Idahoans.
Montana’s Plurality Problem
Political gamesmanship and the spoiler effect prevent majority winners in some of the Treasure State’s most impactful elections.
Despite Candidate Dropouts, Alaska Elections Are Becoming More Competitive
A dozen candidates removed themselves from 2024’s general election, but voters still have plenty to choose from.
Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting Strengthened Moderate Republicans in Alaska’s Legislature
Fewer hardliners won office, leading to an overwhelmingly bipartisan Senate majority, a hard-fought win on education funding, and the ability to neutralize culture warriors.
Nonpartisan Open Primaries Let Alaskans Choose Values Over Party
More than half of voters in the 2022 midterm primaries split their tickets between candidates from across the political spectrum.
Alaska Primary Voters Had More Choice in 2022
A larger, more diverse, and competitive candidate pool coincided with the introduction of open primaries and ranked choice voting.