Alaska prosecutor confirms criminal probe into Senate ballot name scheme

A federal criminal investigation is underway in Alaska regarding a scheme to confuse voters in the Senate race.

U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman confirmed the probe's existence on Friday, October 30, in Anchorage. The inquiry focuses on an alleged effort to place a candidate on the ballot who shares the same name as the Republican incumbent.

The federal team has been working on the case for several months. This week, The New York Times reported that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign appeared to recruit Dan J. Sullivan Jr. Heyman said the news caused a surge of law enforcement resources to the state. "When credible information comes out, we are committed to pursuing that information to deceive voters and we will act on it. We are acting on it intensely and swiftly," Heyman told reporters. He declined to name specific targets or potential crimes. He asked the public to share tips with investigators.

Peltola challenged the narrative on Thursday. She spoke at a downtown bar in Juneau, the state capital. "I just want to clear the air," she said. "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 Associated Press reported that federal prosecutors issued dozens of grand jury subpoenas this week. They also sent requests to preserve records. Dan J. Sullivan has denied working for the Democrats. In June, after announcing his run, he said he had no contact with Peltola's campaign. He described their connection as "zero, none, zilch."

Peltola is challenging Republican Senator Daniel Sullivan for the seat. Heyman's office continues to gather evidence while the race remains active.

The contest is one of several Senate races expected to decide which party controls the chamber.