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Hello, this is Tim Pike in Sitka. I hope you vote NO on Ballot Measure 2 to prevent political parties from restricting voting options for Alaska voters like you and me.

I am registered as a nonpartisan voter because, like many Alaskans, I like to think for myself and consider all options before choosing the one that best suits me and my family. This also applies to the election of political leaders to represent our state. As a member of the Sitka Assembly over the past few years, I have found that government works better when we select good representatives and they work together to find common-sense solutions to our community's problems. Party politics is not part of our way of doing things.

Under our current electoral system, voters select their candidates in primaries without being restricted by any political party. That means candidates whose views don't perfectly align with Democratic or Republican platforms still have a chance of getting on the ballot in the general election. If Ballot Measure 2 passes, we will return to our old system of political parties offering us a limited list of candidates to choose from.

Alaska is unique in many ways that we can all appreciate, including the use of ranked-choice voting in general elections. This means there will be multiple and diverse candidates in the general election, allowing us to make our first, second and possibly third and fourth choices for the state legislature, Congress and the presidency. From this diverse group of candidates, we have the opportunity to select the person who best represents our views. If your first choice candidate doesn't win, your vote will still count if you choose a second and third choice candidate. In my opinion, having more than one choice is a good thing.

In 2022, I believe Alaskans chose ranked-choice voting to elect a moderate Democrat for the House of Representatives, a moderate Republican for the Senate, and a conservative Republican for Governor. Sitkans elected a nonpartisan candidate for the State House and a moderate Republican for the State Senate. For me, this is proof enough that our system is not biased one way or the other. It simply gives Alaskans a better chance of selecting candidates who truly represent our diverse state. As an independent Alaskan, I hope you will join me in voting NO on Ballot Measure 2 to keep the power with the voters and keep our options open.

Tim Pike is a member of the Sitka Assembly.