Alaska’s ranked choice repeal measure fails by 664 votes

A ballot measure that would repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting and open primary system has very narrowly failed, according to final unofficial results released Wednesday by the Division of Elections.

The final margin, pending certification, is 664 out of 340,110 votes, with “No” outpacing “Yes” on Ballot Measure 2 50.1% to 49.9%.

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“Yes” on Ballot Measure 2 led at the end of election night counting, but its margin shrank little by little as absentee, questioned and early ballots were counted. “No” overtook “Yes” on Monday by a razor-thin margin, which narrowed even more on Tuesday.

The race is likely headed to a recount. Alaska law allows candidates and campaigns to request recounts, and the state must pay for them in races won by less than 0.5%. Recounts are not automatic except in races that end in a tie.

Vote-counting concluded Wednesday, the final day for absentee ballots to arrive from U.S. citizens living abroad.

Ranked choice tabulation was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in races where no candidate got more than 50% of the vote. Watch the tabulation here.