Democratic Senate hopeful Mary Peltola's attendance record in past public service roles is facing scrutiny as she competes in a closely watched race for an Alaska Senate seat. Records indicate significant numbers of missed votes during her tenure in the Alaska House of Representatives and during her time on the Bethel City Council.
Peltola missed 794 of 4,265 state House votes, approximately 18.6%, across five terms between 1999 and 2009, according to legislative records. During her service on the Bethel City Council from 2011 to 2013, she missed 22 of 60 meetings, a rate of 36.67%, city records show.
Her attendance record has drawn criticism from political opponents. The Republican National Committee spokesperson Nick Poche stated, “Alaskans deserve an all-the-time workhorse like Dan Sullivan, not someone like Peltola who knifes Alaskans in the back when she even bothers to show up.” The National Republican Senatorial Committee also highlighted that no bills sponsored by Peltola became law during her most recent term in Congress.
Records indicate her highest number of absences from the state House occurred during the 23rd Legislature (2003-2004), when she missed 334 of 1,019 votes. In 2012 and 2013, she missed 11 of 32 and nine of 22 city council meetings, respectively.
Peltola's time in the U.S. Congress from 2022 to 2024 also saw missed votes, with 235 out of 1,370 roll-call votes missed, according to GovTrack data. This represents about 17.2% of her congressional votes.
A spokesperson for Peltola's campaign defended her record, stating that three of her seven children were born during her time in the state legislature, during which she took maternity leave. The campaign asserted that even with excused absences, Peltola missed only about 6% of votes and continued to advance bipartisan measures. The spokesperson also noted that Peltola spent summers at a fishing camp and that some city council absences coincided with fishing seasons or other council priorities.
The campaign also directed criticism toward her opponent, incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, alleging he has missed a significant number of votes and committee hearings, calling his absences an "insult to Alaskans."
Peltola announced her bid for the Senate in January, seeking to unseat the two-term Republican senator. She advanced to the general election alongside Sullivan after finishing ahead of him in Alaska’s top-four primary. The state utilizes a nonpartisan primary system followed by ranked-choice voting in the general election.