Report on 'Second Dan Sullivan' Effort Emerges as Alaska Early Voting Nears Halfway Point
Allegations of a scheme to confuse voters surface as nearly 10% of Alaska's registered voters cast ballots.
An alleged effort to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to Alaska's ballot, reportedly involving operatives linked to Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), has come to light as early voting in the state progresses. Nearly 10% of Alaska's registered voters, approximately 58,000 individuals, have already cast their ballots.
Peltola's campaign and the DSCC have denied any involvement in the alleged scheme, which critics suggest was intended to create voter confusion. The New York Times reported that the effort to recruit potential spoiler candidates, including a different Dan J. Sullivan, involved coordination between the DSCC and Peltola's staffers, according to text messages, interviews, and internal documents obtained by the newspaper. A source interviewed by The New York Times indicated that Peltola was aware of these efforts.
Dan J. Sullivan, who is not affiliated with any political party and has not stated positions on political issues on his website, secured a place on the general election ballot by winning 2.5% of the vote in the primary. His campaign's messaging reportedly read, "Dan Sullivan challenges Dan Sullivan for U.S. Senate Seat, urges Alaskans to defeat incumbent, elect a Sullivan who stands up for Alaska."
Amid these revelations, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit last week, seeking to delay the certification of election results if Senator Dan Sullivan is defeated, citing the potential for confusion. The likelihood of the DOJ's success on these grounds remains unclear.
Alaska's ranked-choice voting system is adding another layer of complexity to the election. Under this system, voters rank their preferred candidates, and if their top choice is eliminated, their vote transfers to their next-ranked option. Proponents argue this system empowers voters and boosts less-established candidates, while critics contend it can lead to confusion. State Senator James Kaufman, a Republican, has voiced concerns that some voters may not complete the full ranking process, particularly those who disagree with the ranked-choice system.
The general election is scheduled for November 3, with early voting underway.