Alaskans for Honest Elections

Alaskans for Honest Elections is a right-leaning organization focused on eliminating Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system that was adopted in a 2020 ballot measure.

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 527 (Political Action Committee), Ballot Measure
Issue Areas: Elections Policy
Website: www.alaskansforhonestelections.com
Founder:

Art Mathias 1

National Spokesperson:

Sarah Palin 2

Founded:

2022 3

Contents

    Republicans in the state blamed the system for losing a 2022 U.S. House race. Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R), a losing candidate in the House race, is the national spokesperson for the organization. 2

    Background

    Alaskans for Honest Elections was founded in late 2022 to attempt to eliminate ranked-choice voting in Alaska through a November 2024 ballot initiative, reversing a ballot measure passed in November 2020. The organization also wants to return to traditional partisan primaries. 4

    The ballot measure adopting ranked choice voting passed in 2020. Promoted by Alaskans for Better Elections, it passed by a margin of 50.55 percent to 49.45 percent. 5 The 2020 ballot language defined ranked choice voting as “the method of casting and tabulating votes in which voters rank candidates in order of preference, tabulation proceeds in sequential rounds in which last-place candidates are defeated and the candidate with the most votes in the final round is elected.” 5

    Alaskans for Honest Elections founder Art Mathias said that the campaign was being led by Alaskans but said he spoke with people from two right-leaning Washington-based organizations, the Heritage Foundation and Americans for Prosperity. 3

    Alaskans for Honest Elections argues that ranked-choice voting violates the principle of one man-one vote, confuses voters, and has led to lower turnout. The group points out that voter turnout in 2022 was lower than turnout in 2018, the previous midterm election. Further, Mathias has argued if the system is not reversed, Alaskans will never elect another conservative, and the system will allow outside corporations to come into the state to buy candidates and buy elections. 6

    The organization’s representatives, including Mathias and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2023 to gain national attention for the movement. 7

    Campaign for Ballot

    Organizers for Alaskans for Honest Elections implemented a statewide signature drive to attempt to be on the 2024 ballot. 8 In January 2023, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (R) certified the organization’s application for a petition to repeal ranked choice voting. 8

    In Alaska, to get a proposal on the ballot, a question must get 10 percent of the votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election. 5 That means the group needed to gather 27,000 signatures by the end of November 2023 to get on the November 2024 ballot. 1

    As of January 2023, Mathias said Alaskans for Honest Elections had 5,000 volunteers to gather signatures. 8 The group’s reported goal was to secure 75,000 names to ensure a large margin for error. 2

    Leadership

    Art Mathias is the founder of Alaskans for Honest Elections. He is also president and founder of Wellsprings Ministry in Anchorage, Alaska. 9 Mathias was severely injured in a snowmachine accident in 1997 and said he was told he had two years to live. But his survival and recovery became an inspirational story in Alaska, which led to media interviews, web videos, and guest-speaker invitations. 3

    Phillip Izon is the records keeper and agent and Diamond Metzner is the treasurer for the organization, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The two work for Leading Light Advisors, a firm that describes itself as having clients that include NASA, as well as people involved in recall and statewide petition campaigns. 3

    Sarah Palin is the national spokesperson for Alaskans for Honest Elections. 2 A former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, Palin was the first to sign the petition for the ballot measure. After finishing first place in the first round of voting, Palin lost in subsequent rounds to her Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK), in the 2022 race for Alaska’s at-large U.S. House seat. 3

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. Ruskin, Liz. “Launch of campaign to repeal ranked choice voting draws a crowd in Anchorage.” Alaska Public Media. February 17, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://alaskapublic.org/2023/02/17/launch-of-campaign-to-repeal-ranked-choice-voting-draws-a-crowd-in-anchorage/
    2. Davidson, Joel. “Ballot initiative to repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting approved by Lt. Gov.” Alaska Watchman. January 22, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://alaskawatchman.com/2023/01/22/ballot-initiative-to-repeal-alaskas-ranked-choice-voting-approved-by-lt-gov/
    3. Palsha, Rebecca. “‘They experienced the horrible animosity that this created’: New group looks to get rid of ranked-choice voting.” Alaska News Source. November 30, 2022. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2022/11/30/they-experienced-horrible-animosity-that-this-created-new-group-looks-get-rid-ranked-choice-voting/
    4. “Alaskans for Honest Elections Ballot Initiative.” Alaskans for Honest Elections. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://alaskansforhonestgovernment.org/alaskans-for-honest-elections-ballot-initiative
    5. “Alaska Establish Party Primary System and Eliminate Open Top-Four Primary and Ranked-Choice Voting General Election Initiative (2024).” Ballotpedia. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Establish_Party_Primary_System_and_Eliminate_Open_Top-Four_Primary_and_Ranked-Choice_Voting_General_Election_Initiative_(2024)
    6. Samuels, Iris. “Ranked choice voting opponents begin gathering signatures for ballot initiative.” Anchorage Daily News. February 18, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.adn.com/politics/2023/02/18/ranked-choice-voting-opponents-begin-gathering-signatures-for-ballot-initiative/
    7. Metzger, Bryan. “Sarah Palin came all the way to CPAC to campaign against the election system that cost her Alaska’s House seat.” Business Insider. March 3, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.businessinsider.com/sarah-palin-cpac-election-system-house-seat-ranked-choice-voting-2023-3
    8. Fleetwood, Shawn. “After Ranked-Choice Voting Rigged Their Elections, Alaska Conservatives Fight To Reclaim Democracy.” The Federalist. February 14, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://thefederalist.com/2023/02/14/after-ranked-choice-voting-rigged-their-elections-alaska-conservatives-fight-to-reclaim-democracy/
    9. Aschieris, Samantha. “Ranked-Choice Voting Is ‘Spreading Like Poison,’ Alaskans for Honest Elections Founder Says.” The Daily Signal. March 16, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/03/16/ranked-choice-voting-is-spreading-like-poison-alaskans-for-honest-elections-founder-says/