https://twitter.com/Politics_Polls/status/1570476323856068611 A new AARP poll of Alaska voters shows neck-and-neck race between Republican candidates Kelly Tshibaka and incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski -- but only after multiple rounds of voting in the state's ranked-choice voting system.
The poll, released Thursday, reflects the ranked choice system, where voters select their top four choices, and if no candidate clears 50% support in the first ballot count, election counters remove the ballots for the least-supported candidate, and consider the second choice on those ballots.
In the first two rounds of counting the AARP poll, no candidate clears 50%, according to the poll.
"In the final round the race becomes a dead heat, finishing at 50% of votes going for Murkowski and 50% for Tshibaka," the AARP poll states.
A similar situation is seen in poll for Alaska's sole House seat, which Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola won in a special election in August -- and the poll suggests a similar dynamic will be at play in November, which saw former Gov. Sarah Palin shut out of the seat.
Though in the first round of counting no candidate in the House race clears 50%, the third round of the poll shows Peltola ultimately winning over Palin. The GOP vote will be split between Palin and Nick Begich.
"In this race, voters overall prefer a Republican candidate, but 60% hold an unfavorable view of former Governor Palin," the AARP poll states.
Posted by Thomas Phippen
