The certification of the election in Alaska may be put on hold next week due to an ongoing criminal investigation into a suspected ballot-stacking scheme involving Democrats. This issue has drawn serious attention from both state and federal authorities.
Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) mentioned to NewsNation’s Blake Burman that the state is prepared to take necessary actions to maintain the credibility of its elections. “We want credible elections,” he stated.
He emphasized, “If we discover any wrongdoing, it could halt or alter the certification process.” This sentiment reflects the gravity of the allegations.
Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign for the U.S. Senate has faced serious accusations that it sought to recruit individuals with the same name as the Republican incumbent, Dan S. Sullivan. Specifically, Dan J. Sullivan from Petersburg was allegedly approached to run for the Senate seat.
Although Peltola’s campaign has consistently denied involvement in J. Sullivan’s candidacy, her former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, has hinted otherwise in interviews with the New York Times.
Rios suggested that Peltola’s campaign orchestrated the ballot-stacking maneuver, and that key campaign figures and lawyers were involved, adding that Peltola was “definitely aware” of the scheme, albeit not directly participating.
Peltola reacted to the allegations, calling them “a distraction” and accusing them of being an attempt to divert attention from Sen. Sullivan’s actions regarding the Iran conflict and merely a way “to sell newspapers.”
In response to the New York Times piece, Governor Dunleavy directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate the situation to see if any laws were broken by this scheme.
Deputy Commissioner Austin McDaniel of the Alaska Department of Public Safety confirmed that they have begun looking into the alleged actions described in the Times article.
The governor has expressed previous concerns about J. Sullivan’s candidacy, pointing out a peculiar detail regarding his name. The supposed spoiler wanted to appear on the ballot as “Daniel S. Sullivan,” although the incumbent’s middle name commences with an “S,” while J. Sullivan’s does not.
That raised a flag, prompting an investigation by the Alaska Division of Elections, which determined that Dan J. Sullivan was ineligible. Nevertheless, the Alaska Supreme Court subsequently mandated that J. Sullivan’s name be reinstated on the ballot.
Dunleavy remarked, “We’ve always felt this was just the tip of the iceberg, and it feels like that tip is now getting a lot larger.”
“This challenges the core of our republican form of government and election integrity,” he said.
The governor mentioned that anyone associated with the alleged scheme would be scrutinized, though concluding the investigation before Election Day might be a challenge.
When pressed about whether the state would certify the election if Peltola wins while still under investigation, Dunleavy indicated that if they discover illegal acts, it would certainly affect future steps regarding the Senate seat.
“We won’t determine our actions until we gather enough information. We are ready to take appropriate measures,” he assured. “We are not about to send a sham to Washington.”
Neither the Peltola nor the J. Sullivan campaigns offered immediate comments.
Furthermore, the Trump administration appears keen on ensuring election integrity as well. The U.S. Justice Department took action last week, filing a lawsuit to prevent Alaska from certifying Senate race results if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses by a narrow margin, stating it aims to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming Senate election in Alaska.
