What happens to voter accuracy when two candidates on the same ranked-choice ballot share the exact same name?

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Voter accuracy typically declines when two candidates on the same ranked-choice ballot share the exact same name, because some voters misidentify which candidate they intend to support and may rank the wrong person. That risk is especially acute in Alaska’s system, where voters can rank multiple candidates and where a same-name candidate can appear not only in the top-four primary but potentially in the ranked-choice general election. In the Alaska Senate race, election officials, the incumbent’s campaign and court filings all pointed to voter confusion as the central concern in the dispute over Dan J. Sullivan and Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. State election officials argued the identical-name candidacy could “confuse or mislead” voters and compromise ballot fairness, even though courts ultimately allowed the challenger to remain on the ballot. Research and election-administration guidance generally show ballot design matters greatly for voter accuracy. Distinguishing details such as middle initials, suffixes, incumbency labels, party labels and clearer formatting can reduce confusion, but they do not eliminate it. In Alaska, one proposed mitigation was to list the men as “Dan J. Sullivan” and “Dan S. Sullivan,” which may help voters who notice the initials, but many voters scan ballots quickly and may still rely mainly on the shared name. In a ranked-choice setting, the problem can be more damaging than a standard ballot error because voters are not just choosing one candidate; th…

Mary Peltola Disavows Harris PAC Endorsement After Alaska Loss by 14 Points

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Mary Peltola Disavows Harris PAC Endorsement After Alaska Loss by 14 Points

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