FBI Canvass in Petersburg Widens the Alaska Ballot-Confusion Case

FBI Canvass in Petersburg Widens the Alaska Ballot-Confusion Case

Agents visit donor's hometown as the inquiry grows

FBI agents have visited Petersburg, the home town of Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan, contacting at least one of his donors and stopping at a local business, as the federal inquiry into Alaska's Senate race widens. The donor, identified as Flint, said he gave 500 dollars over the summer to what he viewed as a long-shot campaign, saying he knew Sullivan would have expenses and respected him for entering the race.

Prosecutor confirms monthslong probe and enforcement surge

Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told reporters in Anchorage that the federal investigation has been running for several months. He said recent disclosures by The New York Times, reporting that Mary Peltola's campaign appeared to have helped recruit the retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan, produced a significant surge of law enforcement personnel into Alaska. He did not announce charges or a timetable.

Times report describes texts and a recruitment drive

The Times reported on October 28 that people working with Democratic nominee Mary Peltola's campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee took part in recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan to enter the race in order to draw votes from incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The newspaper said it had seen text messages and interviewed 12 people who took part in the plan, were told of it, or were approached as would-be candidates. The paper said Peltola's then-campaign manager Elisa Rios and former chief of staff Anton McParland met Jerid Kurtz, described as a DSCC specialist in secret ballot maneuvers, as part of the recruitment effort.

Former manager named, campaign denies involvement

Rios, who left in August during a campaign shake-up, was described as a central figure who later tried to retract her comments. Peltola's campaign said it has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign and did not recruit any candidates. The DSCC said it is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan. Sullivan himself has long denied running at anyone's behest, saying in June that he had zero contact with Peltola's campaign.

Two Sullivans on the ballot after a court fight

On the November 3 ballot, the incumbent is listed as Dan S. Sullivan, a registered Republican and the incumbent, while the challenger is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan, with no party affiliation. A state elections official had ruled the challenger ineligible, calling the filing an effort to confuse or mislead voters and compromise ballot fairness. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that he could remain on the primary ballot, and he advanced to the general election as the third-place finisher. AP data showed 46,204 ballots had already been cast as of October 26.

Justice Department sues to block certification if incumbent loses

On October 22, the Department of Justice sued Alaska election officials, asking a federal court to block certification of the Senate result if anyone other than Senator Sullivan wins and voter confusion may have affected the outcome. The suit argues that the result should be judged as if every vote for Dan J. Sullivan had gone to the senator under Alaska's ranked-choice tabulation. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the suit, and President Trump said he ordered it. Peltola and Senate Democrats have asked the judge to dismiss the case, calling the assumption that every Sullivan-challenger voter meant to vote for the senator insulting to voters and incompatible with ranked-choice voting.

Peltola denies knowledge as governor orders a state probe

Peltola said on October 29 at a Juneau bar that she knew nothing about any effort to place a second Sullivan on the ballot and is not interested in tricking voters. The Alaska governor has ordered a state investigation into the alleged links between the Democratic campaign and the rival candidate. A spokesman for the incumbent's campaign, Nate Adams, accused Peltola, her campaign, senior advisers, the DSCC, and Democratic lawyers and operatives of colluding to confuse voters.

Control of the Senate raises the stakes

The race could help decide control of the Senate. Sullivan was first elected in 2014, reelected in 2020, and seeks a third six-year term. Peltola became the first Alaska Native elected to the U.S. House in 2022 and now challenges for the Senate. Under ranked choice, the little-known Sullivan is expected to be eliminated in an early round, and where his votes transfer could decide the winner.

What comes next: votes, transfers, and the courts

Three tracks now run together: continued FBI interviews, the certification lawsuit before a federal judge, and the November 3 vote with ranked-choice tabulation. If the incumbent loses narrowly, whether ballots are segregated and whether the result can be certified will move to the center of the legal fight.