Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-29**Lead**
Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) has leveled explosive allegations against Representative Mary Peltola (D-AK), accusing her campaign of orchestrating an illegal ballot harvesting operation in the final weeks of the 2026 general election. In a press conference held in Anchorage on Tuesday, Sullivan described the alleged scheme as a “scandal at the highest order,” claiming that Peltola’s team systematically collected absentee ballots from rural Native villages without proper oversight. The accusation has sent shockwaves through Alaska’s political landscape, with both campaigns trading barbs as early voting continues. Sullivan, who is locked in a tight rematch against Peltola for the state’s Senate seat, presented what he called “preliminary evidence” of coordinated ballot collection efforts, though he declined to release specific documents, citing an ongoing investigation by the Alaska Department of Law.
**Contexto**
Alaska has long been a battleground for election integrity debates, particularly after the state adopted ranked-choice voting in 2020. Ballot harvesting—the practice of third parties collecting and submitting absentee ballots—is legal in Alaska under certain conditions, but only if the collector is a family member, household member, or designated caregiver. Sullivan’s allegations center on claims that Peltola’s campaign employed paid canvassers to collect ballots from dozens of voters in remote communities, potentially violating state statutes that prohibit mass collection by political operatives. The senator pointed to affidavits from two unnamed whistleblowers who allegedly witnessed campaign staffers transporting sealed ballots in unmarked vehicles. Peltola’s campaign has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them a “desperate smear” by a candidate trailing in internal polls. The Alaska Division of Elections confirmed it has received a formal complaint from Sullivan’s team but stated it has not yet opened a formal investigation. This is not the first time ballot harvesting has sparked controversy in Alaska; in 2022, a similar dispute arose during the special election for the state’s at-large House seat, which Peltola won. The current race is one of the most closely watched in the nation, with control of the Senate potentially hinging on the outcome. Sullivan, a two-term incumbent, has made election security a central plank of his campaign, while Peltola has focused on economic issues and Native sovereignty.
**Analise**
The timing of Sullivan’s allegations is critical. With Election Day less than two weeks away, the accusation could galvanize Republican voters who are already skeptical of mail-in voting, particularly in rural areas where Peltola enjoys strong support among Alaska Native communities. If the allegations gain traction, they could depress turnout among Peltola’s base, especially if voters fear their ballots might be invalidated. Conversely, if the claims are perceived as baseless, they could backfire, energizing Democrats who view the attack as an attempt to suppress the vote. The lack of concrete evidence—Sullivan has not released the affidavits or named the whistleblowers—leaves the story in a gray zone, ripe for partisan interpretation. Legal experts note that proving ballot harvesting requires demonstrating intent to defraud, a high bar in a state where third-party ballot collection has historically been tolerated. The Alaska Department of Law, led by a Republican attorney general, will face pressure to act swiftly, but any investigation is unlikely to conclude before the election. This mirrors a broader national trend: in the 2024 cycle, similar allegations in states like Arizona and Georgia led to protracted legal battles but few convictions. For Sullivan, the gamble is clear—either he exposes a genuine scandal that sways undecided voters, or he risks being seen as crying wolf in a race that could define his political future. For Peltola, the challenge is to maintain momentum while defending her campaign’s integrity, a task complicated by the fact that ballot harvesting, even if legal, remains a polarizing practice.
**Fontes**
- Press conference statement by Senator Dan Sullivan, October 29, 2026, Anchorage, Alaska. - Official response from Representative Mary Peltola’s campaign, issued October 29, 2026. - Alaska Division of Elections public records on ballot harvesting statutes (AS 15.20.221). - Alaska Department of Law confirmation of complaint receipt, October 29, 2026. - Historical reporting on Alaska’s 2022 special election ballot disputes, Anchorage Daily News archives.