Election 2026

Ranked Choice Voting Will Untangle Alaska's Dan Sullivan Controversy. It's Also on the Ballot Itself.

As voters in Alaska decide whether to keep or abolish some electoral reforms, voters in Massachusetts will decide whether to try them.

Eric Boehm | 11.2.2026 10:40 AM

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(Mattie Neretin - CNP/Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom)

An underappreciated facet of the controversy that has rocked the Alaska Senate race: Voting reforms adopted by the state in 2020 will likely blunt the effectiveness of an apparent Democratic scheme to place a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

And an additional twist: Voters in the state have a chance to undo those election reforms on Tuesday night.

Alaskans may determine which party controls the Senate, but the race has been complicated by a second candidate with nearly the same name as incumbent Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan (R–Alaska). The New York Times reported last week that Democratic challenger Mary Peltola's campaign was behind the maneuver to get Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, on the ballot.

Peltola denies the accusation, but the Times' reporting looks sound, and the potential impact seems clear—the incumbent may lose some share of votes meant for him because voters mistakenly tab........

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