Voting Rights · Report · File No. 261101-852
Civil rights groups warn FBI may question Alaska voters on their ballot choices
Voting rights groups told a federal judge that agents asking voters how they marked ballots would threaten the secret ballot. The filing does not say agents have done that. The warning comes two days before the election.
Every quote in this story (1) was matched word for word against its source. How we work
Civil rights groups warned a federal court that the FBI could question Alaska voters about which candidate they meant to support in the state's Senate race. The League of Women Voters of Alaska, Common Cause and two individual voters made the warning in a filing on October 31 1. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is their lawyer in the case 2.
The filing does not say agents have questioned voters about their ballots. Agents have reportedly contacted donors to one candidate as part of a federal investigation 1.
What the groups argued
The groups argued in the filing that sending armed government agents to question voters about how they chose to mark their ballots in the name of election integrity would be Orwellian and illegal 1.
They pointed to remarks by Michael Heyman, the top federal prosecutor in Alaska, at an October 30 press conference. Heyman said federal and state authorities, including the FBI and Alaska State Troopers, were working to ensure votes counted the way voters "meant and intended" them to count 12.
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The groups asked what agents could ask voters and what happens if a voter refuses to answer. They also asked who would decide what a voter intended, and whether that decision could be challenged 1.
The case behind it
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is running against Democrat Mary Peltola. A retired teacher, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., is also on the ballot 1. The Justice Department (DOJ) sued Alaska. It alleges the second Sullivan's candidacy was meant to confuse voters and help Peltola 2.
The DOJ wants to block certification of the result if votes for the second Sullivan could have changed the outcome. It also wants an investigation into whether those voters meant to back the incumbent 12. Peltola has denied involvement in any plan to use another candidate against her opponent 1.
The groups asked Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the suit with prejudice, meaning it could not be refiled. They also asked her to consider sanctions against government lawyers 2.
Donor visits and the state's reply
The Associated Press reported that the FBI has contacted donors to Daniel J. Sullivan's campaign, according to Newsweek. Agents visited donors in two remote Alaska communities and in Massachusetts. They asked whether the donors were confused about which Dan Sullivan they backed 1.
Charles Flint of Petersburg gave $500 to Daniel J. Sullivan. He said he was not misled and plans to rank Peltola first and Daniel J. Sullivan second 1. Heyman said the investigation has run for several months. He also described a "significant surge of law enforcement assets to Alaska" 1.
Alaska's Republican-led government asked Gleason on Saturday to dismiss the suit, calling it "meritless." The state said ballots for the other Sullivan could not be separated without compromising voter privacy 1. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, also opposed the suit 1.
Sullivan told CNN's Jake Tapper he would "accept the election results" 1. Newsweek said it asked the FBI, the DOJ, the campaigns and the U.S. attorney's office for comment 1.
Why it matters
That matters because Alaska guarantees a secret ballot, and the groups say voter questioning would break it 1. For now this is a warning about what could happen, not a report of what has happened. Judge Gleason has not ruled on the dismissal requests in the sources reviewed here 12.
The Record
- Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman says votes should count as voters 'meant and intended' and describes a surge of law enforcement assets 12.
- League of Women Voters of Alaska, Common Cause and two voters file a reply warning against FBI questioning of voters 1.
- Alaska asks Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the DOJ suit, calling it 'meritless' 1.
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Sources
- Newsweek, “Civil Rights Groups Warn FBI Could Question Alaska Voters” (2026-11-01). newsweek.com/civil-rights-groups-warn-fbi-could-question-ala
- Democracy Docket, “DOJ's Alaska election theory could give Trump sweeping power over state elections, voting advocates warn” (2026-11-01). democracydocket.com/news-alerts/dojs-alaska-election-theory-
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
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