Dunleavy Directs State Police to Investigate Peltola Ballot Strategy
The governor claims a second 'Dan Sullivan' was recruited to disrupt the Senate race, a move both parties have fiercely contested since August.
By Chioma Kim ·
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered the Department of Public Safety to investigate an alleged effort to confuse voters in the U.S. Senate race. He announced the directive after a report from The New York Times detailed how campaign associates for Democrat Mary Peltola reportedly recruited a candidate with the same name as incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan.
The investigation will determine if the actions violated state laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted. Dunleavy stated that the recent reporting supports findings from an earlier review by the Alaska Division of Elections in June. He described the scheme as an organized attempt to manipulate the election by misdirecting ballots.
Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher from the Alaska Panhandle, entered the race under the same name as the sitting senator. He finished third in the nonpartisan primary held in August. Under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, the top four candidates advance to the general election. The inclusion of the teacher on the ballot has drawn criticism for adding complexity to the voting process.
Dunleavy emphasized the importance of ballot integrity in a post on X. He wrote that Alaskans have a fundamental right to vote for the candidate they intend to support. He argued that tricking voters into choosing a different person strikes at the core of election integrity.
The Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which was named in the report, denied involvement in the conspiracy. Senior aides were alleged to have participated in the recruitment effort. Despite the denial, the allegations have fueled debate over the legality of similar practices, known as ballot stacking. The New York Times reported that these tactics are generally legal.
President Donald Trump has vocally condemned the teacher’s candidacy for months. He called for Peltola to be barred from the race following the reports. Republicans have long criticized the presence of the second Dan Sullivan on the ballot, viewing it as a strategic disruption of the election.
Source: One America News Network
