The Alaska Supreme Court on Thursday heard the appeal of the Alaska Democratic Party, which was trying to kick a Democrat off of the ballot in the Alaska congressional race so Rep. Mary Peltola, the party’s favored Democrat, could have a better chance at winning reelection.
In the end, the Democrats were denied their attempt to game the ranked-choice voting system. All the justices but one voted to uphold the judgment of Superior Court Judge Ian Wheeles, who had said the Democrats were essentially trying to change the rules and were too little, too late to challenge the candidacy of Eric Hafner.
Currently, Hafner, Peltola, and Republican Nick Begich and Alaskan Independence Party John Wayne Howe are on the November ballot, which is now being printed for the Nov. 5 election.
The Democrats raise several points about Democrat Eric Hafner, and why he should be kicked off the ballot so voters would not be confused by having two Democrats to choose from.
Democrats complained that Hafner is serving time in federal prison and therefore would not be able to serve in Congress. Yet the Constitution makes no law against felons running for federal office. That’s possibly because such a law would encourage opposing parties to arrest candidates — as the Democrats have done with Donald Trump — in order to make them unqualified to serve.
Superior Court Judge Wheeles’ decision said the Democrats had made up all kinds of imaginary possibilities for the future that they have no way of knowing or proving, and that Eric Hafner is within his rights to file as a candidate. The Division of Elections made no error of judgment in allowing him to take the fourth slot on the ballot, since two previous candidates had dropped out after the primary.
Wheeles said that “one’s failure to plan does not constitute another’s emergency,” of the Democrats and their challenge of Eric Hafner’s name on the ballot. It’s their own fault they didn’t challenge Hafner’s qualifications in the legal time allowed, which is 10 days after the closure of the candidate filing period.
Only Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney dissented from the decision of the Supreme Court, saying she would have reversed Judge Wheeles’ decision which can be read here:
The printing and testing for accuracy of the November ballot is already underway at the Division of Elections. The ballots for overseas military voters must be put in the mail this month.
The Supreme Court has only announced its decision and is expected to explain its reasoning at a later time.
This story will be updated.
Far out!!
(As we used to say in the old days)
In 2016 when Hafner ran for Congress in the Hawaiian primary he did so as a long shot Republican, recieving 44% of the vote, and lost to the candidate who lost to Tusli Gabbard. This was before he became a Democrat, ran in numerous elections around the country and was subsequently locked up for following his extremist political ideology of threatening those he disagrees with.
Given our rank voting method and how the Democrats have been so overwhelming in support of it, I feel compelled to rank Mr. Hafner. Since our current Democratic Congressional representative isn’t doing a good job representing Alaska or Alaskans I will rank him above Representative Peltola, who won’t receive a rank on my ballot since she doesn’t deserve to be ranked.
I can only hope this will be the last rank vote I have to make.
Yes we all need to rank him above every other democrat and give them a taste of RCV.
Sucks to suck.
The real story is just how weak d they think Mary is that a prisoner in another state could syphon votes from her?
I hope like hell the people wake up and repeal that stupid game of musical voting……
This is going to be interesting to see how this plays out. The democrats could have easily spoken up when this felon first filed his intentions, but did they? No. So, why are they now going helter-skelter after he made it to the ballot?
I love watching democrats suck a bowl of D…s
🤣
Hilarious. Well maybe it will work in favor of sanity and we can finally get rid of RCV.
Watch for Gov. Dunleavy to elevate Justice Carney to Chief Justice.
Democrats finally have an honest incarcerated “Felon” on the ticket.!!
He’s the perfect Democrat. In jail, living off the government, and will do nothing but cause turmoil when elected. Just too bad he’s not out, he could go to airports and steal women’s luggage.