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Assembly advances amended ranked-choice voting ordinance for public hearing; amendment keeps block voting for multi-seat contests
Summary
The committee moved Ordinance 2025-13B, which would adopt ranked-choice voting for single-seat Assembly contests, to public hearing Aug. 18 and set action for Nov. 3. An amendment by Assemblymembers Atkinson and Steininger to retain block voting for multi-seat races (school board and special-seat scenarios) passed 7–1.
The Committee of the Whole advanced an amended ordinance to add ranked-choice voting to Juneau’s election code for single-member assembly races and set a timeline for further public involvement.
Assemblymember Atkinson moved and the committee adopted an amendment (co-sponsored by Assemblymember Steininger) removing cascading/multi-seat ranked systems for multi-seat contests and keeping traditional block voting for those races. That amendment passed 7–1. The committee then voted to send the main ordinance, as amended, to the Aug. 18 regular assembly meeting for public hearing and to the Nov. 3 regular assembly meeting for final action.
Supporters said ranked-choice voting (RCV) would reduce “vote-splitting” and encourage consensus-building and a wider field of candidates in single-seat contests. Assemblymember Adkisson, who is a sponsor, said RCV helps races with many candidates by ensuring voters’ secondary preferences are counted.
Opponents raised procedural concerns. Some members said they preferred a citywide advisory vote or waiting until state-level implementation and repeal attempts settle before changing municipal rules; others said voters should have a direct say because the change affects how residents cast ballots.
On the specific procedural issue of multi-seat elections, staff and several members argued block voting is more familiar to voters and administrators than cascade or transferable-seat methods; they warned that multi-seat ranked systems can create administrative complexity and voter confusion. The Atkinson–Steininger amendment therefore limited ranked-choice counting to single-seat Assembly contests, while preserving block voting for multi-seat races (including school board contests and replacement of an early-resigning assembly member).
What’s next: the ordinance as amended will appear for public hearing Aug. 18 and is scheduled for action Nov. 3. Staff will publish explanatory material and expected ballot procedures in advance of the Aug. 18 public hearing.
