Alaska Supreme Court weighs arguments over new election process.
Scott Kendall, who helped write the ballot measure, argued on behalf of the group behind the initiative, which narrowly passed in 2020. Laura Fox, an attorney for the state, joined Kendall in asking that the court uphold a lower court ruling in favor of the new system.and viewed by supporters as a way to encourage civility and cooperation among elected officials. This year’s elections would be the first in which the system is used, if it stands.
Attorney Kenneth Jacobus; Scott Kohlhaas, who unsuccessfully ran for the state House in 2020 as a Libertarian; Bob Bird, chair of the Alaskan Independence Party and Bird’s party sued in late 2020 over the initiative, challenging its constitutionality. Jacobus theorized the initiative passed because of provisions that call for new campaign disclosure requirements. When asked Tuesday if that assertion was supported by the record, Jacobus cited in part the 2002 voter rejection of a ranked-choice system.
“Well, there’s been 18 years of change in the world, hasn’t there?” Justice Susan Carney said. She noted later that when the elements were combined, they passed.
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