An extensiive audit by the Alaska Department of Law has identified significant financial disclosure errors in 91 of the 121 candidates running for governor. This massive discrepancy has forced Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom to reverse a previous decision to exclude Republican Dan Taylor from the upcoming November ballot.
The 91-candidate discrepancy shaking Alaska's election integrity
An extensive audit by the Alaska Department of Law has uncovered significant inaccuracies in the financial filings of the vast majority of gubernatorial candidates. The investigation, conducted by a team of paralegals and investigators, found that 91 out of 121 candidates failed to provide complete information regarding their financial interests. According to the report, the audit team cross-checked disclosure forms against public property records and business filings to identify these gaps.
Most of these errors involved candidates failing to list all owned properties or neglecting to disclose business stakes that exceeded the $1,000 statutory threshold in the preceding year.. While the Department of Law emphasized that no wrongdoing or fraudulent intent has been established, the sheer volume of omissions suggests a systemic failure in candidate compliance with state transparency laws.
The reversal of Dan Taylor’s disqualification and the November ballot
The political landscape of the November election shifted significantly after Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom announced she would keep Republican Dan Taylor on the ballot. This decision reversed a previous move by the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which had recommended Taylor's disqualification due to incomplete disclosures. Specifically, the commission noted that Taylor failed to name tenants who occupied property held in his name, a requirement mandated by state law.
By reinstating him , Dahlstrom ensured that Taylor would run alongside Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and fellow Republicans Bernadette Wilson and Dave Bronson, citing a need for consistent standards across all 121 filings. The Lieutenant Governor affirmed that her office would not intervene further in the ballot lineup unless compelled by a court order.
Governor Mike Dunleavy’s call for an independent review of APOC
Governor Mike Dunleavy has advocated for a comprehensive overhaul of the state's disclosure regulations following the audit's release. Dunleavy suggested that an independent committee should evaluate the effectiveness of the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) to ensure future transparency and prevent complacency regarding election integrity. This political pressure is amplified by the Alaska Accountability Project, a Republican-led group whose founder, Kelly Tshibaka, has been a vocal critic of the commission's performance.
This widespread pattern of inaccurate reporting points to a potential failure in the oversight capabilities of the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Rather than being viewed as isolated incidents of negligence, the audit suggests a broad lack of compliance that may require new frameworks for the next administration to implement.
Will the state face litigation over the Taylor ballot reversal?
The Department of Law is currently evaluating whether its initial decision to exclude Dan Taylor from the ballot could trigger a lawsuit against the state. As Rachel Witty, director of the Civil Division, noted, the "risk landscape has changed significantly for the state" due to the number of potential discrepancies found. It remains unverified whether the state will pursue formal complaints against the 91 candidates identified in the audit, as any such move would require new evidence and a thorough examination of specific facts.
Comments 0