How Open Primaries and Ranked-Choice Voting Can Help Break Partisan Gridlock
Ask students: Who is Mary Peltola? How is Alaska's primary system unique? When did Alaska's new primary system go into effect?
Skyline of Anchorage, Alaska. How the parties select their candidates is a major factor in the increasing partisanship we've seen in recent years. Recently, Alaska has been trying something different. It's already showing results but facing some resistance.
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June 13, 2024
Ask students: Who is Mary Peltola? How is Alaska's primary system unique? When did Alaska's new primary system go into effect?
Share
How the parties select their candidates is a major factor in the increasing partisanship we've seen in recent years. Recently, Alaska has been trying something different. It's already showing results but facing some resistance. Judy Woodruff traveled there for her ongoing series about divisions in the country, America at a Crossroads.
View the transcript of the story.
In the video, some argue that open primaries help bring more voters into the electoral process and moderate partisan politics. However, von Spakovsky says that only the members of the Democratic and Republican parties should have a say in their respective representatives. Who do you find more convincing? Do you think open primaries are a good reform to the electoral system?
Media literacy: The NewsHour video starts with an interview with David Nicolai, who talked about how his family experienced Peltola's historic election to Congress. How do personal stories such as Nicolai's impact your thoughts on the electoral reforms, if at all?
Take a look at this explainer to learn more about ranked-choice voting.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.