Mary Peltora denies knowledge of alleged ballot‑confusion scheme in Alaska

Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltora told supporters in Juneau on Thursday that she had no knowledge of any effort to place a second candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan on the Alaska ballot.

Speaking at a downtown bar, Peltora said, “I just want to clear the air. I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. I am not interested in tricking voters.”

Justice Department investigation

The U.S. Justice Department has escalated a criminal probe, issuing grand‑jury subpoenas and records‑preservation demands after a New York Times report linked Peltora’s campaign to the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan Jr. as part of a purported voter‑confusion scheme. The number and recipients of the subpoenas have not been disclosed.

Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to comment on the investigation but accused Democrats of “cheating” by trying to siphon votes through a duplicate‑name candidate. Dan J. Sullivan Jr. has denied any coordination with Peltora’s campaign.

The race, seen as pivotal for control of the U.S. Senate, has drawn criticism from former President Donald Trump, who called for criminal prosecution of Peltora and suggested she might be barred from the ballot. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy also ordered a state investigation, citing “disturbing new evidence” of an organized effort to manipulate the election.

Source: ABC News. Photo: Sora Shimazaki / Pexels.