Trump attacks Alaska ranked-choice voting, urges GOP vote ahead of November governor election

President Donald Trump on Thursday criticized Alaska’s ballot system ahead of the November governor election, saying on Truth Social that the state’s approach to choosing candidates was “stupid” and questioning why “three Republicans” were facing “one Democrat.” Trump’s post also encouraged Alaska voters to back the Republican ticket for governor and other statewide races.

The comments were directed at Alaska’s use of ranked-choice voting for at least some statewide offices, a system Alaska voters approved through a ballot measure, according to reporting from The Hill. Under ranked-choice voting, voters can rank candidates in order of preference, and the final result is determined through a tabulation process that can differ from a standard winner-take-all election.

Trump’s post framed the voting system as producing an unfavorable political dynamic for Republicans, arguing it is unclear why multiple Republican candidates would contend simultaneously against a single Democratic opponent. The governor election, scheduled for November, is set against the backdrop of a contested primary field that produced multiple Republican nominees.

Alaska’s November general election will take place after the state’s ranked-choice voting rules, which are designed to allow voters to express preferences beyond their first choice. Advocates of ranked-choice voting have argued the system can reduce the likelihood of a winner determined by a narrow plurality, while critics have argued it can be more complicated for voters and can create unexpected outcomes depending on how ballots are ranked.

Trump’s intervention adds to ongoing national attention on state-level election administration, including questions about ballot design, tabulation methods, and how voting systems shape candidate strategies. His post did not identify specific administrative steps or legal challenges to Alaska’s voting system, but it highlighted what he portrayed as a structural problem with the state’s setup.

The Hill’s report also described Trump’s remarks as part of a broader effort to encourage Alaska voters to support the Republican ticket in November. The statement comes as the Alaska governor race features multiple Republican candidates and one Democratic challenger, a matchup Trump cited as evidence that Alaska should not have adopted the current approach to voting.

No court filing or legislative action challenging Alaska’s ranked-choice voting was described in the report. The next steps for voters are to follow Alaska’s official election instructions when casting ranked ballots in November, while election administrators prepare to conduct the tabulation under the state’s approved rules.