The state is ready for this.



<[link removed]>



Hi Friend,



There’s a buzz in the air as Alaska prepares for a monumental day this
upcoming Tuesday. It’s not just momentous for Alaskans, though — it’s a day
that all Americans should be excited about. Why? Because it marks the first and
LARGEST coordinated effort to solveThe Primary Problem
<[link removed]> that we have seen yet as a nation.
The “Last Frontier” state becomes the first, if you will.



For the first time, a state’s voters will use a game-changing type of reform:
a nonpartisan primary and ranked choice general election, a reform that will
give voters more representation, better choices — and results.



We’ve been talking with you about this exciting reform in Alaska for a long
time. Let’s break down what it all means for voters across Alaska this month
and, more broadly, for the potential future of elections in our country. Here
are three things to keep in mind:







Top-Four Election in the Senate Race Primary
<[link removed]>


One of the two elections on Alaska’s ballot next Tuesday is a top-four primary
election.This is a much-anticipated election, as ALL eligible voters can
participate, and ALL candidates, regardless of party, will compete against each
other. For the first time in the U.S., the top four finishers per race, instead
of the two major parties’ nominees, will advance to the general election, when
a ranked choice general election in November will determine the winners.



The race features incumbent Republican Lisa Murkowski, Republican Kelly
Tshibaka, Democrat Patricia Chesbro, and 16 other contenders.
<[link removed]>
While the outcome of this election will remain unknown until all the votes are
counted, (keep in mind, we won’t have the final results for 15 days while they
count mail-in ballots from overseas military and the 82% of the state’s voters
who live in homes inaccessible by road, all protected by an existing law
requiring the waiting period to ensure every vote is counted), the fact that
the state’s voters chose the top-four primary election model in 2020 to make
their representatives, well, more representative, is a victory in and of itself.





<[link removed]>

<[link removed][url]=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniteamerica.org%2Fnews-category%2Fthree-things>




Ranked Choice Voting in the Special General Election
<[link removed]>


The other election on Tuesday is a ranked choice special general election to
fill the Congressional House seat of the late Rep. Don Young for the remainder
of his term. Voters will use ranked choice voting (RCV) to determine the winner
among three candidates, as the fourth general-election candidate who qualified
from June’s primary withdrew.



The state is ready for this. Why? Well, RCV is proven, and the voters who’ve
used it say they like it and understand it.Almost 11 million voting-age
Americans <[link removed]> live in
jurisdictions that use or plan to use ranked choice voting in upcoming
elections, covering 55 states, cities, and counties in all, including first
Maine and now Alaska. The numbers don’t lie: upwards of three-fourths of voters
in New York City, in more than 20 cities in Utah, and in Maine’s 2nd
Congressional District had positive takeaways about the system.


 


<[link removed]>

<[link removed][url]=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniteamerica.org%2Fnews-category%2Fthree-things>
 




40 Primary States Down, 10 to Go <[link removed]>


Alaska isn’t the only state to hold a primary in the country this week. In
fact, this week, the country hit the 40-state mark for primaries on the books.
Now, the countdown for the last 10 primaries left to go, including Alaska,
kicks off.



What’ve we learned so far? Well, 70.3 percent of the next House of
Representatives has already been effectively elected in primaries for “safe”
seats. Why does that matter? Because it means thatonly 6.6 percent of
age-eligible American voters have participated in those elections. In short,
primary voters have already decided who will win during the general elections
for the majority of the U.S. House.


So, what does that mean for the country? An even less accountable Congress —
the least accountable one ever <[link removed]>.
And thisis the Primary Problem. But, we’re not in the business of leaving
things on a negative note. The bottom line here is that states such as Alaska
are the shining star in the dark night, proving there’s an opportunity to
change course and solve one of the biggest threats to our democracy.





<[link removed]>

<[link removed][url]=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniteamerica.org%2Fnews-category%2Fthree-things>




Best,

Alana
__
Alana Persson
Digital Marketing Associate
Unite America

DONATE <[link removed]>





Want to stop receiving our weekly Three Things Thursday emails? Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>
from Three Things Thursday, orUnsubscribe
<[link removed]>
from all Unite America communications.

Unite America | 1580 Lincoln St Suite #520 Denver, CO 80203
Paid for by Unite America PAC INC.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
www.uniteamerica.org <[link removed]>