AARP Released Alaska Voter Survey Results
The recent poll highlights voter preferences in a simulated ranked-choice gubernatorial race.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Elections
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AARP has published a new survey of 800 Alaska voters detailing preferences in a hypothetical gubernatorial race. The results show Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins securing 55 percent of the vote in the final round of a simulated ranked-choice process.
Why it matters
The survey offers insight into how Alaska voters are navigating the state's ranked-choice system, with undecided voters potentially serving as a decisive factor in the final outcome. Specifically, projections suggest Bernadette Wilson could overtake the current leader if she captures the support of the undecided voting bloc.
The survey included 800 participants, of whom 63 percent are aged 50 and older. Among the total, 198 participants did not rank their ballots, representing 25 percent of the sample.
The players
AARP
AARP is a non-profit organization that focuses on issues affecting people aged 50 and older in the United States.
Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins
Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins is a political figure featured in the survey as a candidate for the Alaska gubernatorial race.
Bernadette Wilson
Bernadette Wilson is a political candidate identified in the AARP survey results.
The details
Researchers redistributed votes using Alaska's ranked-choice voting rules, which eliminate candidates with the fewest votes in successive rounds. The final round included 602 total active votes, with 54 participants having exhausted their ballots by that stage.
Timeline
AARP published the Alaska Voter Survey on September 17, 2026.
Political Context
Opponents of Alaska's ranked-choice voting system often argue that the complex ballot-ranking process confuses voters and obscures candidate popularity. These critics frequently point to the 25 percent of participants in this survey who chose not to rank their ballots as evidence that the system limits voter participation.
The 18 percent of survey participants who remained undecided highlight that the final outcome for the governorship remains highly volatile. Residents should be aware that their specific ballot rankings, or the decision to leave slots blank, will directly dictate how votes are redistributed under current election rules.
The takeaway
Voters should be mindful of how their ranking choices impact the elimination rounds in a ranked-choice system. Understanding these mechanics is essential for ensuring that personal preferences effectively influence the final candidate selection.
Further reading
Explore more voter data and ballot trends in the Elections section.
Live Poll
Do you trust that current election polling accurately predicts the results of ranked-choice voting races?
