The general election in Alaska is being conducted for the first time by using ranked-choice voting, a change some civil rights groups have said could pose a challenge in a state that has 20 distinct languages.
"The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor the Aug. 16, 2022, federal primary election in certain jurisdictions in the State of Alaska to ensure compliance with the minority language accessibility requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the disability accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," the release said.
The department said it will specifically monitor the Municipality of Anchorage, City and Borough of Juneau and Bethel, Dillingham, and Kusilvak Census Areas, all of which have large indgieouns populations per capita.
Alaska, in addition to the ranked-choice system for voting, will also take advantage of a new open primary system that was first used in a special House primary in June.
Several candidates are vying for the state’s single House seat which is open since the death of Congressman Don Young. Alaska’s new election system and process was approved by voters in a 2020 ballot initiative and changes the way the state operates primary and general elections.
In primary contests, voters have the option to choose from all the candidates in a race, regardless of party affiliations. Each voter will select just one candidate, but the four who receive the most votes will appear on the general ballot in November.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, a three-term incumbent, is being challenged by Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican attorney who is endorsed by former US President Donald Trump. It is expected that under the voting system, both candidates will advance to the midterm elections in November.