Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Probe Into Alaska Senate Ballot Confusion

Alaska voters face a federal criminal investigation into the state’s Senate race after US Attorney Michael Heyman confirmed Friday that authorities are scrutinizing the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the general election ballot. The probe aims to determine if a coordinated effort to recruit a challenger with the incumbent’s name was designed to split the Republican vote and confuse voters during the upcoming midterm election.

Heyman cited New York Times reporting that suggested the campaign of Democrat Mary Peltola and national Democratic leaders orchestrated a conspiracy to prop up Daniel J Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher with no prior political experience. Both candidates qualified for the ballot, with the incumbent listed as Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent and the challenger as Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr. The Department of Justice simultaneously filed a civil suit asking a federal judge to isolate all ballots ranking the junior candidate to preserve evidence of potential voter confusion.

The federal government is taking the matter seriously, according to Heyman, who stated that law enforcement assets have surged to Alaska and that investigative steps are being taken across the country. He declined to specify which crimes are under review, noting that it is highly unusual for federal prosecutors to publicly discuss an open criminal case. The civil suit, filed last week, seeks to segregate ballots to investigate whether rankings for the challenger resulted from mistaken intent rather than genuine support.

Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee, denied any knowledge of the alleged recruitment effort. Speaking in Juneau on Thursday, she told supporters that she knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except herself and the incumbent. She emphasized that she was not interested in tricking voters and wanted to clear the air regarding the situation. Peltola is currently leading in recent polls against two-term US Senator Dan Sullivan.

Subpoenas for grand jury testimony and documents were issued following the initial media report, according to a person familiar with the matter speaking to the Associated Press. Additional subpoenas are expected, though the recipients and total count were not immediately clear. The race is considered a critical contest for determining Senate control, with Democrats targeting the seat to close the gap in the chamber, where they currently hold 47 seats to the Republican 53.

Republican officials have condemned the dual candidates as a ploy to manipulate the election results. Governor Mike Dunleavy announced plans for a separate criminal investigation, stating that the reporting provided disturbing evidence of an organized effort to misdirect votes. He argued that tricking voters strikes at the integrity of the elections. The state supreme court previously allowed the challenger to remain on the ballot after election authorities attempted to disqualify him before the August primary.

President Donald Trump cast doubt on the outcome of the race, suggesting on Thursday that Peltola might not be seated if she wins. He told reporters in South Carolina that it is hard to believe she should be allowed to run and later stated that he felt she should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. The general election is scheduled for next week, and the DOJ has requested a preliminary injunction to block the certification of the result if the incumbent loses due to the presence of the similarly named candidate.