FBI Interviews Donor in Alaska Senate Race Probe
- FBI agents visited a Dan J. Sullivan donor in Petersburg to investigate potential voter confusion.
- The Justice Department is seeking a court order to isolate ballots cast for the candidate.
- Federal prosecutors have issued dozens of grand jury subpoenas regarding the Senate race.
- Mary Peltola denied allegations that her campaign recruited Dan J. Sullivan to confuse voters.
- Alaska state attorneys argue that segregating ballots is impossible and violates secrecy laws.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents visited a donor of Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan in the candidate's hometown of Petersburg on Oct. 31, 2026. The agents interviewed a boat dealership owner to determine if the donor had been misled by the candidate.
The donor told the FBI agent that he had not been misled by the candidate. This interview is part of an expanding criminal inquiry into the Alaska Senate race.
Justice Department seeks to isolate Senate ballots
The Department of Justice is seeking a court order to isolate Alaska ballots that rank candidate Dan J. Sullivan. Federal officials confirmed this move is part of a criminal investigation into the candidate, who shares a name with Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Prosecutors filed the request on Oct. 30, 2026, to investigate potential voter confusion. This week, federal prosecutors also sent out dozens of grand jury subpoenas and requests for record preservation.
Investigations into candidate recruitment allegations
Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman stated that the investigation has been ongoing for months. Law enforcement assets increased following reports that the campaign of Mary Peltola recruited Dan J. Sullivan to run.
Peltola denied knowledge of these recruitment efforts and said, "I am not interested in tricking voters". Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a separate investigation into whether any violations occurred regarding the recruitment of the candidate.
Trump directs civil case against certification
President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to file a civil case to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if the incumbent loses.
During a rally in Florida, Trump said that Peltola and Dan J. Sullivan should be prosecuted. He also told U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche to "make your own" decision regarding the case.
Alaska officials challenge ballot segregation
Alaska state attorneys argue that segregating ballots is impossible because they are commingled in ballot boxes. They claim that doing so would violate ballot secrecy protections.
Attorneys for Alaska stated that the demand from Donald Trump to set aside Senate ballots is "meritless" and "not even possible". The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a Justice Department request to set aside disputed ballots in California that the administration claimed might not be from U.S. citizens.
Ballot distinctions between the two Sullivans
Alaska election officials distinguish the two candidates on the ballot by listing the incumbent as "Dan S. Sullivan, Republican". The challenger appears on the ballot as "Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation".
Democratic Party lawsuit over rural voting sites
The Alaska Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against state elections officials regarding the operation of absentee in-person voting sites. The lawsuit alleges that absentee in-person voting sites in some rural communities did not open as advertised.
In a letter dated Monday, the director of the Division of Elections stated that the agency signs agreements with tribal or local offices to operate the voting sites. The director reported that most of the 18 voting sites highlighted in the lawsuit had opened. The state Department of Law did not immediately return a message seeking comment regarding the lawsuit.
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