Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-29**Lead**
A newly uncovered report details an alleged attempt to create a ‘second Dan Sullivan’ on the Alaska ballot, sparking immediate election security concerns. The development comes after nearly one in ten registered Alaskans voted in the most recent election cycle, according to preliminary figures. The report, circulated among federal and state election authorities, outlines how an unidentified party may have attempted to file a duplicate candidate or voter impersonation effort under the name of the incumbent Republican senator.
**Context**
Alaska’s election system has undergone significant changes in recent years, including the adoption of ranked-choice voting and open primaries. Senator Dan Sullivan, first elected in 2014, has been a prominent figure in Alaska politics. The alleged scheme, described as a potential “clone candidate” operation, would involve submitting paperwork or digital signatures to place a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot, thereby confusing voters and potentially siphoning legitimate votes. The Alaska Division of Elections has confirmed that it is reviewing the matter internally but has not released specific details on how the attempt was detected or whether any ballots were affected.
The report emerged amid heightened scrutiny of election security nationwide, particularly after the 2020 and 2022 cycles. Alaska’s vast geography and reliance on mail-in voting make it a unique challenge for election officials. Nearly one in ten Alaskans voted, a turnout that election monitors say was robust but also created opportunities for fraud if safeguards were lacking. The state’s voter registration system, while regularly audited, has faced criticism for vulnerabilities in signature verification and candidate filing processes.
**Analise**
If confirmed, the alleged effort represents a significant breach of election integrity. Duplicate candidate schemes are not new — they have been attempted in several states, often targeting high-profile incumbents to dilute their vote share. The impact in a state like Alaska, where races can be decided by a few thousand votes, could be decisive. Senator Sullivan’s office has not issued a public statement, but sources indicate they are cooperating with investigators. The fact that the report emerged after the election suggests that either detection mechanisms failed or that the attempt was caught during post-election audits.
Beyond Alaska, this case underscores the ongoing battle between election administrators and bad actors seeking to exploit loopholes. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have been monitoring attempts to manipulate candidate filings and voter rolls. The “nearly one in ten” turnout figure itself may have provided cover for the operation, as high volume complicates verification. Election security experts argue that such incidents, even if unsuccessful, erode public trust and demand stronger authentication measures for candidate applications.
**Fontes**
Alaska Division of Elections; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Anchorage Field Office; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; multiple reports from The Associated Press and Alaska Public Media; U.S. Senate records and committee statements.