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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Alaska voters are turning out in large numbers ahead of the midterm election, with more than 58,000 ballots already cast, according to data from the state's Division of Elections.
The early voting total has already surpassed the pace seen during the state's 2022 midterm and is on track to approach or exceed the record early turnout recorded in 2024. The surge comes as the Last Frontier's closely watched Senate race between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is drawing national attention over GOP allegations that Democratic operatives helped recruit another candidate, named Dan J. Sullivan, to run alongside the incumbent in an effort to confuse voters. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued Alaska over Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy.
Alaska's U.S. Senate election will help determine the balance of power in Congress as Republicans seek to defend their House and Senate majorities and Democrats look to capitalize on competitive races that could flip control of both chambers in their favor.
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Newsweek reached out to the campaigns for Peltola and Sullivan via email for comment on Wednesday night.
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Dan Sullivan Voting Ballot Controversy Explained
Alaska's Senate race has become embroiled in a dispute over a second candidate named Dan J. Sullivan, who will appear on the ballot alongside Senator Sullivan under the state's ranked-choice voting system. Republicans allege the candidacy was intended to confuse voters and boost Peltola's chances, while a recent New York Times report said Democratic operatives were involved in recruiting the namesake candidate.
The DOJ's lawsuit aims to halt Alaska from certifying the election outcome if Senator Sullivan falls short. Peltola's campaign has continually rejected all allegations, with the Democrat on Friday calling the suit "frivolous."
“This is clearly corruption. This is clearly a very desperate attempt to cling to power, using his allies in Washington, D.C., to rig the system even further,” Peltola said regarding the senator's efforts to MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace.
What Trump Said About the Dan Sullivan Debacle
Trump responded to the report in a post to Truth Social Wednesday afternoon, where he called for Peltola and Dan J. Sullivan to be removed from the ballot.
"It has just been determined that the Democrats in Alaska illegally searched for, and recruited, a man named Dan Sullivan to run against our distinguished Republican Senator, Dan Sullivan, in order to defraud, confuse, and obfuscate the Election, thereby taking votes away from the REAL Senator, Dan Sullivan," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The Democrats’ false statements were made under oath in Federal Court. Therefore, they perjured themselves, and should be liable for very serious consequences. Mary Peltola should suffer the Legal and Political consequences for what she has done, A FRAUD ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, and Dan Sullivan should be allowed to run without either Mary Peltola or FAKE Dan Sullivan on the Ballot."
Early Voter Turnout in Alaska: What We Know
More than 58,000 voters in Alaska have already cast ballots, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the state's registered voters. Of those, more than 39,000 were early voters and more than 19,000 cast absentee ballots. Republican early voters exceeded Democrats at nearly 27 percent to 18.4 percent, according to a report by the Alaska Beacon.
The number of early voters visiting the polls at this point in the election already exceeds 2022 midterm election early voter numbers by roughly 1,500, with six days still remaining before November 3. The number is approaching the record 73,146 early voters who cast their ballot in the 2024 presidential election.
Other states have seen strong early voter turnout, including Texas, where early voting began with a record 19 million registered voters eligible to cast ballots. Georgia also saw record-breaking statewide in-person early voting turnout, with more than 2 million votes. Several states have also reported high early turnout.
Mary Peltola vs. Dan Sullivan: Latest Polls
Peltola leads Sullivan in the most recent polls. Data For Progress conducted a survey of 675 likely voters from October 8 to October 16 in which Peltola held a 3-point lead over Sullivan in the first round and a 2-point lead in the second, at 49 percent to 46 percent and 51 percent to 49 percent, respectively.
The Democrat led Sullivan by 6 points in the latest InsiderAdvantage poll, which surveyed 1,200 likely voters on October 9 and October 10. It showed Peltola at 48.2 percent in the first round, against 42.6 percent for Sullivan. In the final round of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting, the potential result would be 50.1 percent for Peltola and 48 percent to Sullivan.
A *New York Times/*Siena University poll held from September 24 to October 1 gave Peltola her greatest lead over Sullivan, at 50 percent to 43 percent. It surveyed 504 likely voters.
Why Alaska Senate Race Matters in Midterm Elections
Alaska is among several tight Senate races this year as Democrats strive to win the majority and flip control of the upper chamber. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
While Republicans have won Alaska in every presidential election since 1968, the state has opted for a split ticket in past races involving congressional and gubernatorial battles. Peltola previously won the election for U.S. representative in 2022 and is now vying for the Senate.
Earlier this month, Sabato's Crystal Ball, based out of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, moved the Alaska race to "Leans Democratic" from its previous "Toss-Up" ranking, another sign that Democrats are gaining ground in the state.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins
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