First, look at the two ballot measures on the ballot — one to change wording on who can vote and the other on repealing the open primary, rank choice voting and several campaign finance laws. The first will get many hard-core conservative voters to the polls, the second is supported by conservatives. The first works to get those who might not vote to the polls to help repeal the second.

Ballot Measure 3-25USCV, an act addressing voter qualification. Non-citizens don’t vote in Alaska anyway by Constitutional wording. This measure is designed to get hard-core conservatives to the polls, but the measure itself is nothing more than a meaningless wording change. But the presence of those who are blinded by the issue and not cognizant of the facts will be at the polls and potentially increase the number of “yes” votes on Ballot Measure 2. Go to the polls regardless of how you feel about this measure.

Now to Ballot Measure 2-24ESEG, an act restoring political party primaries, ending ranked choice voting general elections and repealing recent campaign finance laws. It is complex and has three main issues: repeal of open primaries, ranked choice voting (RCV), and several campaign finance laws. Because there are three issues it becomes the classic issue of how you want something — cheap, fast or good, you can usually get two.

Repealing the open primary would potentially lead to a decrease in voter turnout, fewer candidates in the primary, and fewer candidates from third parties running or being in office. Repeal would give political parties much more influence on who we get to vote for (never mind what they do in office), hinder efforts by non-party affiliated candidates, and decrease the number of choices voters have for candidates in the primaries. I want more choices and fewer people telling me who I can vote for.

RCV is complex and many votes are not used in the final tally when RCV is employed. But RCV enables us to make some compromises on who gets elected. Simplicity is generally good and compromise helps us all move forward and eliminates deadlock on many issues. RCV helps non-party affiliated candidates. Both are important.

Repealing the campaign finance laws would obscure where money comes from. It would also take away a major penalty for those who report late and enable political parties to provide information about candidates without calling it a contribution again handicapping non-party affiliated candidates. Repeal would also largely keep non-party-affiliated persons from serving as APOC commissioners. It would provide more power for the major political parties to control who runs for office and exclude non-party affiliated candidates. Numerous people have said sunshine is the best disinfectant. We are far better off knowing who is funding political campaigns.

A “yes” vote on Ballot Measure 2 would repeal all the items and give major political parties much more power and control of who is nominated for office, limit the candidates we can vote for in both the primary and general elections, and enable a good of deal of campaign funding to go unreported and unseen. It would stifle non-party affiliated voters, the largest group of registered voters in Alaska.

A “no” vote would keep things as they are now: a primary open to all candidates, a broader selection in the general election, and more transparency regarding campaign funding.

Back to fast, cheap or good. I don’t want a fast government, I want one that is thoughtful, considers a variety of evidence before making policy decisions and sometimes realizes that the party line isn’t the right line. The more viewpoints in government, the better the thought process might be.

I don’t necessarily want a cheap government, one that does not consider good use of funds for the benefit of the state’s population rather than other interests. Balance the budget definitely, cuts will need to be made, be compassionate. Again, the more viewpoints, the better to make humane decisions.

I do want good government. There has been talk of a natural gas pipeline since Walter Hickel’s governorship. The matter has been in the legislature several times, it was the root of the VECO scandal two decades ago — lower oil taxes for a gas pipeline guarantee.  Maybe less party rigidity and more compromise would be the answer to getting it done. I would like to see a budget that is not in deficit. The major political parties have not been able to do this. Maybe non-party affiliated legislators can.

Want to limit who you can vote for, and those will only be nominated by a major political party, and let campaign funding go unreported? Vote YES.

Want more choices, more transparency and more non-party affiliated elected officials? Vote NO.

Paul Dauphinais is a former executive director of the Alaska Public Offices Commission. He lives in Homer.