Supporters of Alaska’s ranked choice voting system are again alleging that opponents of the system are violating state campaign law.
On Monday, Alaskans for Better Elections filed a complaint against former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, a nonprofit that she operates, and Alaskans for Honest Elections, which is campaigning to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska.
The complaint alleges that Tshibaka and her nonprofit, Preserve Democracy, have been lobbying and campaigning without registering with the commission or submitting regular financial disclosures, something required by law.
The complaint further suggests that Preserve Democracy sent mailers to select voters in the spring Anchorage municipal election without reporting to the commission.
The group did not answer an email seeking comment on Monday.
The Alaska Public Offices Commission has yet to respond to the complaint and open an investigation.
Monday’s complaint follows one filed earlier this month by Alaskans for Better Elections against Alaskans for Honest Elections, the group behind a ballot measure that seeks to repeal ranked choice voting.
That group has been accused of funneling donations illegally through a church. The complaint in that case is under investigation.
Alaskans for Better Elections is the group that promoted a ranked choice ballot measure in 2020, seeing it narrowly approved by voters statewide. The system was used in last year’s elections and will be used in 2024.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
• James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. This article originally appeared online at alaskabeacon.com. Alaska Beacon, an affiliate of States Newsroom, is an independent, nonpartisan news organization focused on connecting Alaskans to their state government.
