Alaska Senate race sparks investigation over ‘ballot stacking’ allegations

Allegations have surfaced suggesting that aides to Mary Peltola, the Democratic challenger to Senator Sullivan, may have orchestrated the recruitment of Daniel J Sullivan Jr. to confuse voters and potentially impact the outcome of a crucial Senate race.

President Donald Trump has responded by ordering a Justice Department investigation into the alleged voter fraud. “It was a scheme. It was election fraud. Total election fraud,” Trump stated. Peltola has denied any involvement, emphasizing that the controversy is diverting attention from voters’ concerns.

US Attorney Michael Heyman announced that Democrats are accused of “orchestrating a sprawling conspiracy to recruit and prop up Daniel J Sullivan as a sham candidate,” and that the matter is being taken “extremely seriously.”

Daniel J Sullivan Jr. announced his candidacy on May 29, just days before the June 1 filing deadline. He has consistently denied any Democratic influence behind his campaign. The controversy stems from a New York Times report alleging that Peltola’s campaign staff and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) coordinated an initiative, internally dubbed the “ballot composition project,” to recruit candidates who could dilute Sullivan’s support.

This tactic, known as “ballot stacking,” involves recruiting candidates not necessarily to win, but to influence vote distribution. Alaska’s ballot includes four candidates, and the presence of two individuals with the same name raises concerns about potential voter confusion. Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy has initiated a criminal investigation into the matter.

Peltola addressed the accusations in Juneau, Alaska, stating, “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters.”

The strategy of ballot stacking has been employed in past elections with varying degrees of success. In Florida’s 2020 state Senate race, Republican operative Frank Artiles was convicted of orchestrating a scheme to recruit a candidate with the same surname as the Democratic incumbent, Jose Javier Rodriguez, ultimately leading to Rodriguez’s narrow defeat. Similarly, Washington state saw a situation in 2024 where Republican activists allegedly paid individuals to run as namesakes of Democratic leaders.

Instances of similar tactics have also occurred internationally. In India, fielding candidates with shared names is a common practice, though not always effective. The US also saw a similar tactic during John F. Kennedy’s first congressional campaign in 1946.

The Alaska race is considered pivotal for determining control of the US Senate.