Alaska Okays Reform to Stop Partisan Gridlock

With the drumbeat of grim news about corona and Donald Trump's inability to handle defeat, how about some good news for a change? Good news about a citizens reform movement that has just scored a stunning victory on Nov. 3 to reform elections in Alaska.

That's right, while most Americans have been mired in lawsuits and recounts, Alaskans have moved boldly to take the sting out of partisan politics. A majority passed a plan to scrap party primaries and instead have one big non-partisan primary in Alaska, open to all candidates and all voters, motivating candidates to move away from political extremes toward the center and compromise.

In Alaska, 53% of the voters are independents, far outnumbering Republicans and Democrats, giving the non-partisan primary powerful appeal. As the reform group Alaskans for Better Elections put it, "We need an election system that encourages politicians to work for voters—not parties.”

As a model for other states, Alaska's new reforms also crack down against political dark money and introduce Rank Choice Voting, a system to give voters more choices and to give candidates incentives to reach across party lines for support in order to get the 50%-plus majority that is required to win office. .