Peltola campaign sues Alaska over rejected absentee ballot records
Photo: Mary Peltola
The campaign of Democratic US Senate candidate Mary Peltola has sued Alaska election officials, seeking the immediate release of records identifying absentee ballots rejected in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
The lawsuit was filed on Friday as Peltola and Republican incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan remained locked in a close race, with approximately 600 votes separating the candidates. Ballot counting was still underway in remote areas of the state.
Peltola’s campaign organization, Alaskans for Mary, filed the lawsuit against the Alaska Division of Elections, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom and Director of Elections Carol Beecher. It is seeking records identifying rejected absentee ballots and explaining the reasons for their rejection.
The campaign said it requested the records on October 27 and again on Wednesday under Alaska’s Public Records Act but received no response. It was later denied immediate access.
The plaintiffs also requested a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to compel the release of the records. They argued that timely access was critical as ballot counting and certification continued.
The lawsuit said the lack of access could prevent the campaign from monitoring whether ballots were properly counted and whether votes from Peltola supporters had been improperly rejected.
The state Department of Law, which represents the lieutenant governor and the Division of Elections, said the election authority had long treated the records as confidential and that state law did not require their release.
“Because the information is preliminary, subject to change, and not yet available to affected voters, the Division does not distribute the records separately or allow observers to retain them,” the department said in a statement.
It added that releasing preliminary information could create additional burdens during ballot processing and delay the counting of votes.
The state will accept ballots until November 18. Sullivan’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
