Full Breakdown
Allegations of Ballot-Stacking in Alaska’s 2024 Senate Race
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event
A report by *The New York Times* alleged that Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola recruited a “spoiler” candidate, Dan J Sullivan Jr., to run alongside incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, aiming to dilute the GOP vote. The claim drew reactions from Alaska Republicans, the Department of Justice, and former President Donald Trump, while Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) denied involvement.
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02
Background & Context
Alaska’s 2024 Senate contest pits incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) against former Rep. Mary Peltola (D). The state uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank multiple candidates and is intended to reduce the impact of “spoiler” candidates. Both parties have previously fielded fringe candidates to influence outcomes.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Data & Statistics
- More than 50,000 ballots have been cast, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.
- A Data for Progress poll released on October 8 showed Peltola leading Sullivan 51 % to 49 %.
- The alleged “fake” Dan Sullivan is identified as Dan J Sullivan Jr., whose middle initial distinguishes him from the incumbent.
04
Official Statements & Responses
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) condemned the alleged scheme, calling ballot-stacking “a dirty trick” and stating that “Alaskans don’t need any help voting for their preferred candidates, and the State of Alaska has already handled this by clearly distinguishing the candidates on this year’s ballot.”
- DSCC denied participation in any recruitment of spoiler candidates.
- Department of Justice filed a lawsuit earlier in the month seeking to block certification of the election if the incumbent loses; Murkowski called the filing unnecessary.
05
Criticism & Opposition
- Donald Trump labeled the alleged recruitment “election fraud,” urging that Peltola be removed from the ballot.
- Scott Kendall, a former Republican staffer now practicing law, called the tactic “a dirty trick” but noted that state law does not criminalize the motive behind a candidacy.
- Glenn Wright, professor of political science at the University of Alaska Southeast, said the controversy is unlikely to shift the “calcified electorate,” noting that most voters have already formed clear preferences.
06
On-the-Ground Reports
Local observers, including Aubrey Wieber of the 907 Initiative, reported that early-voting numbers and polling indicate only a small segment of Alaskans remain undecided. Voter sentiment appears entrenched despite media attention.
07
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The Hill emphasized that recruiting spoiler candidates is not illegal and noted that both parties have used similar tactics in past cycles.
- Daily Mail described a “months-long secret plan” by the Peltola campaign and the DSCC, calling it a coordinated “Ballot Composition Project.”
The discrepancy centers on the scope and intentionality of the alleged recruitment, with no independent verification presented.
08
Why It Matters / Impact
The episode underscores how Alaska’s voting system may buffer against manipulation while fueling partisan narratives ahead of the November election.
09
Verbatim Quotes
- “While some may try to write this off as just how politics works now, ballot-stacking should have no place in our electoral process,” — Sen. Lisa Murkowski
- “What we are seeing when we’re testing advertising, you know, like message testing, and just in polling for quite a while now, there are very few people that have not made up their minds,” — Aubrey Wieber, founder of the 907 Initiative
- “If every person who doesn’t want Mary Peltola to win ranks the other three candidates, ranks all of them in any order, there’s no question; those votes will eventually go to [Sen.] Dan Sullivan,” — Scott Kendall