Alaska’s two ‘Dan Sullivans’: How common is ballot stacking, does it work?
Summary
Alaska’s Senate race includes two candidates named Dan Sullivan: the Republican incumbent and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher. A New York Times report alleged that people aligned with Democratic candidate Mary Peltola helped recruit candidates to draw votes from the incumbent; Peltola denies knowing about the effort, while President Donald Trump ordered a Justice Department investigation and Alaska’s governor ordered a criminal investigation. The article describes ballot stacking as a tactic that can affect close races and cites a 2020 Florida contest as an example under prosecution scrutiny.Key Facts
- Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. filed to run for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat on May 29, three days before the filing deadline.
- The ballot has four candidates, including two named Dan Sullivan.
- The New York Times reported that people aligned with Peltola, her campaign’s lawyers, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee coordinated a candidate-recruitment effort.
- Peltola said she knew only of herself and the incumbent and denied trying to trick voters.
- President Donald Trump ordered a Justice Department investigation into alleged voter fraud, and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation.
- U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said authorities were taking the allegations seriously.
- In Florida’s 2020 state Senate race, prosecutors alleged that Republican operative Frank Artiles paid Alex Rodriguez to run against Democratic incumbent Jose Javier Rodriguez.
- Jose Javier Rodriguez lost that race by 32 votes, while Alex Rodriguez received more than 6,000 votes.
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