Numerous states in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies are voting on measures concerning climate and energy choice (Washington state), and electoral upgrades like open primaries and instant runoff or ranked choice voting (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon).
Sightline Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit regional think tank whose experts, research, and data visualization resources can inform media coverage as results roll in. Per our free use policy, all Sightline research, graphics, and other resources are available to republish.
Below are recently published resources from Sightline researchers. Connect with them directly or reach out via Press Associate Martina Pansze, martina@sightline.org.
Alaska Measure 2
To repeal the state’s system of open primaries and instant runoff general elections.
Expert: Jeannette Lee, Alaska Research Director, jeannette@sightline.org
- What’s different in Alaska since election laws changed
- Despite candidate dropouts, Alaska elections are becoming more competitive
- Open primaries and ranked choice voting strengthened moderate Republicans in Alaska’s legislature
- Voter participation jumped when Alaska opened its primaries
- Nonpartisan open primaries let Alaskans choose values over party
Washington Initiatives 2117 and 2066
To repeal the Climate Commitment Act and to impede building electrification efforts.
Expert: Emily Moore, Director, Climate and Energy, emily@sightline.org
- Explaining Washington’s Ballot Initiative 2066
- (Re)explaining Washington’s Climate Commitment Act
- The contradiction of a split vote on Washington’s anti-climate ballot initiatives
- Correcting the Seattle Times editorial board on Initiative 2066
Recent coverage quoting Moore:
Oregon
Measure 117
To use ranked choice voting in statewide and federal elections for Oregonians.
Experts: Shannon Grimes, Researcher, Democracy, shannon@sightline.org; Jay Lee, Senior Research Associate, Democracy, jay@sightline.org
- Ranked choice voting already passed its first test in Oregon
- Spoiler alert: Oregon’s past statewide and federal elections are full of spoiler candidates and non-majority winners
- What Oregonians need to know about ranked choice voting
- Ranked choice voting would help Oregonians vote for their true favorite
Portland election reforms
First-time use of multi-member districts and ranked choice voting for city elections.
Expert: Shannon Grimes, Researcher, Democracy, shannon@sightline.org; Jay Lee, Senior Research Associate, Democracy, jay@sightline.org
- Reporting on ranked choice voting in Portland’s 2024 elections
- 10 things Portlanders should know about multi-member districts
- A guide to Portland’s Charter change
- What can Portland learn from America’s oldest proportional election system?
Montana Constitutional Initiatives 126 and 127
CI 126: To open primary elections to all Montana voters and candidates, and send the top four primary vote-getters to the general election.
CI 127: To ensure general election winners have majority support from voters.
Experts: Alice Buckley, Fellow, alice@sightline.org; Al Vanderklipp, Senior Research Associate, Democracy, al@sightline.org
- Montana’s plurality problem | Political gamesmanship and the spoiler effect prevent majority winners in some of the Treasure State’s most impactful elections.
- FAQ: Election Reform in Montana
- Policy brief: Top-four Primaries and Instant Runoffs: The Alaska Story
- Fact sheet: Majority Winners, Runoffs, and Montana’s Constitutional Initiative 127
- Media coverage: “We are not as polarized as our politicians”
Idaho Proposition 1
To create a top-four primary system open to all Idaho voters and candidates, and to provide for instant runoff voting in general elections.
Expert: Al Vanderklipp, Senior Research Associate, Democracy, al@sightline.org
- Idaho has a spoiler problem | Closed primaries exclude voters, encourage divisive behavior, and can subvert the will of Idahoans.
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