Scott A. Kohlhaas, the Alaskan Independence Party, Robert M. Bird, and Kenneth P. Jacobus v. State of Alaska…

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed summary judgment rejecting facial constitutional challenges to Alaska's voter-enacted open primary and ranked-choice voting system. It held that the system imposes no meaningful or, at most, minimal burdens on political parties' associational rights and the right to vote, and that the lieutenant-governor and governor election provisions comply with the Alaska Constitution. The court also concluded that ranked-choice voting elects the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes after complete tabulation.