#akleg Re: Yes on 2

I think there are a couple reasons for opposition. For some it's a fear of losing their walled garden of influence. I don't have a good response for that because I just think those walls need to come down. They produce skewed results in our elections.

For others it's more of an uncertainty. How will the new system work? What results will it produce? What unexpected problems will arise from implementation? I think the answer to those questions is easier, it just takes some time to sit with it and think about how it works.

Way back in the Before Times I gave a goofy presentation to some friends about why I thought we needed to change our elections to a Scored Voting system. Then I took it to Jason and Scott and others but they already had this ballot measure drafted for Ranked Choice.

I looked it over and I wasn't really enthusiastic about it because I didn't feel any ownership of it. It was different than what I had imagined. But after hours and weeks of conversations and questions it grew on me and I began to see how well it could work. So I got on board.

Now we're here a few days before the elections and I hope ballot measure two will pass. I've worked hard on this and I think it could do our state a lot of good. I know people don't have the time to get comfortable with it in the same way I did. But we'll see how it goes.

What I'm trying to get at is that if this ballot measure doesn't pass, I want to continue the conversation of how we can evolve Alaska's elections. And I hope that second group, the people who just needed a little more time will join us in figuring it out.

And if the ballot measure does pass, my hope is that it isn't undermined by intentionally bad implantation or supplanted by legislation that goes against the intent of the measure. Give it a chance. Work to make it work and respect the decision.