By Rep. Jesse Summer
I was born and raised in the Mat-Su Valley, am a proud supporter of President Donald Trump, and believe that the open primary and ranked choice voting system benefits conservatives in Alaska – especially in Wasilla.
I have always believed in the values that make Alaska unique: independence, resilience and fairness. Our state’s electoral system should reflect these values, ensuring that every Alaskan’s voice is heard and that our politicians represent the broadest possible support. Open primaries and ranked choice voting (RCV) are the best ways to accomplish this, and as a Republican, I have seen firsthand how these systems benefit our party and our state.
I grew up in Wasilla. My mother worked as a geologist and my father built homes. My upbringing taught me the value of hard work and self-reliance – values that have always stuck with me. After college, I returned home to get involved in our community, eventually running for Assembly and then for Legislature. Holding public office opened my eyes and showed me how difficult it can be to make a difference in government. But I have always believed that less regulation and smaller government are the best ways to help people live free and prosperous lives.
These beliefs are why I am such a strong supporter of open primaries and ranked choice voting. In the 2022 House elections, Republicans Julie Coulombe and Tom McKay won their seats thanks to RCV, giving our party a majority in the House. This led to a historic moment for Wasilla when Cathy Tilton became the first Speaker of the House from our community. For the first time in more than six years, Republicans have a majority in the House. Open primaries and RCV allowed us to come together and form a majority caucus.
Critics who say RCV doesn’t work for conservatives are simply wrong. Looking back at past elections, it’s clear that RCV could have prevented some significant Democratic victories. Take, for example, the 1994 gubernatorial election, where Tony Knowles won by just 0.3% over Republican Jim Campbell. RCV would have counted the second and third candidates of the 38,000 voters who voted for other candidates, likely tipping the election in Campbell’s favor. A similar story occurred in the 2008 Senate election, when Senator Ted Stevens lost to Mark Begich by 1.3%. Many of the 18,000 voters who supported third-party candidates likely would have ranked Stevens as their second choice, giving him the margin he needed to win.
Open primaries and RCV don’t just benefit individual candidates – they benefit our entire party and the principles we stand for. These systems ensure that conservative candidates can build broad coalitions of support and prevent vote splitting that could allow a liberal candidate to win with less than 50% of the vote. This is especially important in a state like Alaska, where many residents, like me, value small government, limited regulation, and the freedom to live our lives without unnecessary government interference.
Some argue that Republicans should drop out after the primaries if they receive fewer votes, but that would be a mistake and would result in history repeating itself. We don’t want a repeat of 2022, when the U.S. House seat went to a Democrat. In an RCV election, someone else’s vote that doesn’t put you first can still count for you in later rounds. That’s why it’s so important for Republicans to stay in the race and keep fighting for every vote.
Ultimately, open primaries and ranked-choice voting are tools that allow conservatives to maintain permanent control of state government—because whether they belong to a party or not, most Alaskans lean conservative. If you believe in small government and personal freedom, open primaries and ranked-choice voting are essential to preserving Alaska’s unique spirit.
Jesse Sumner is a member of the state House of Representatives. He lives in Wasilla with his wife and children.
