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Tuesday is primary Election Day in Alaska, which means it’s time to choose one candidate from a field containing enough names to fill the Costco parking lot on dividend day.
Choose wisely — you only get to pick one.
The top four finishers in each race advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation. Personally, I like Alaska’s open primary system. It minimizes the power of political parties and makes candidates work harder for your vote. They cannot spend all their time appealing solely to party insiders, ideological purists and loyal sycophants who regurgitate talking points word for word. They have to make their case to everybody.
Funny how democracy works when candidates must actually woo voters rather than wait for party elites to present the electorate with a preapproved choice and a hearty “Here you go.”
If you need a candidate refresher, take a look at the ADN’s 2026 Alaska voter guide. The guide, produced in collaboration with the Alaska Beacon, KTOO and Alaska Public Media, allows you to compare candidates and read their answers to questions about the issues facing Alaska.
Well, most candidates. Some couldn’t be bothered to respond. Apparently, answering questions for one of the largest collaborative voter-information projects in the state was too much trouble.
Candidates, if you want the privilege of holding public office, answering questions seems like a fairly modest expectation. Ignoring a voter guide does not make you look busy or above the fray. It makes you look as though you believe you don’t need to explain yourself to the voters whose support you are seeking.
That’s an interesting campaign strategy. Not a charming one, but certainly interesting.
Lastly, don’t overlook Ballot Measure 1. If approved, it would establish new contribution limits for state and local campaigns, including a $2,000-per-election-cycle limit on what an individual may give to a candidate. That could have a significant effect on how Alaska campaigns raise money.
So read up on the candidates, fill in that bubble on the ballot and go vote. When the polls close Tuesday night, the candidate courtships end and the tallying of efforts begins in anticipation of the November general election.
As always, you can catch me at letters@adn.com or by sharing your thoughts via our web form, and I'll catch you at the voting booth.
— Gary Black, opinion editor
Anchorage Daily News
gblack@adn.com |
