Current:Home > MarketsLawsuit asks judge to disqualify ballot measure that seeks to repeal Alaska’s ranked voting system-VaTradeCoin
Lawsuit asks judge to disqualify ballot measure that seeks to repeal Alaska’s ranked voting system
lotradecoin margin trading explained View Date:2024-12-25 23:34:02
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three Alaska voters have filed a lawsuit seeking to disqualify a ballot measure that aims to repeal the state’s open primary and ranked vote elections system, citing errors in the signature collection and approval process.
The lawsuit, filed in state court Tuesday, names elections officials and the Division of Elections as defendants. The division last month certified that a ballot group called Alaskans for Honest Elections gathered enough signatures to qualify the repeal measure for this year’s ballot. The repeal initiative likely would appear on the November ballot. The timing depends on when the Legislature adjourns.
Attorney Scott Kendall, an author of the successful 2020 ballot measure that scrapped party primaries in favor of open primaries and instituted ranked voting in general elections, filed the lawsuit on behalf of three voters, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The voters are Elizabeth Medicine Crow, a former president of the First Alaskans Institute; Amber Lee, a political consultant in Anchorage; and Kevin McGee, a past president of the Anchorage branch of the NAACP.
The lawsuit alleges that sponsors behind Alaskans for Honest Elections “intentionally conducted their signature petition drive illegally, thereby disqualifying thousands of signatures.” It says that sponsors of the initiative broke the law by instructing signature gatherers to leave signature books unattended. The lawsuit also says the Division of Elections unlawfully allowed the group to notarize signature booklets after they were submitted. Without those booklets, the measure would not meet the minimum signature requirements to qualify for the ballot, the lawsuit says.
Patty Sullivan, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Law, said the lawsuit was being reviewed.
The lawsuit says the division “repeatedly warned” leaders of the ballot group about leaving booklets unattended. State law requires that signature gatherers certify that “the signatures were made in the circulator’s actual presence.” If that requirement is not met, the law says the signatures should not be counted.
Phillip Izon, a sponsor of the repeal initiative, said his group would not seek to intervene in the case.
“Everything that was done was per the Division of Elections. They’re the ones that instructed us and told us what we had to do,” he said. “We’re not even entering into the lawsuit because we feel comfortable with everything.”
veryGood! (47)
Related
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Small stocks are about to take over? Wall Street has heard that before.
- West Virginia is asking the US Supreme Court to consider transgender surgery Medicaid coverage case
- Aaron Boone, Yankees' frustration mounts after Subway Series sweep by Mets
- Drew Barrymore has been warned to 'back off' her guests after 'touchy' interviews
- Pregnant Lala Kent Poses Completely Nude to Show Off Baby Bump
- Maine attorney general files complaint against couple for racist harassment of neighbors
- Watch: Trail cam captures bear cubs wrestling, playing in California pond
- Sabrina Carpenter reveals her own hits made it on her personal Spotify Wrapped list
- Watch Simone Biles nail a Yurchenko double pike vault at Olympics podium training
Ranking
- Netizens raise privacy concerns over Acra's Bizfile search function revealing citizens' IC numbers
- Flamin' Hot Cheetos 'inventor' sues Frito-Lay alleging 'smear campaign'
- 3 arrested in death of Alexa Stakely, Ohio mom killed trying to save son in carjacking
- Powerball winning numbers for July 24 drawing: Jackpot at $114 million
- Shanghai bear cub Junjun becomes breakout star
- Billy Ray Cyrus says he was at his 'wit's end' amid leaked audio berating Firerose, Tish
- Steph Curry talks Kamala Harris' US presidential campaign: 'It's a big deal'
- Olympians Are Putting Cardboard Beds to the Ultimate Test—But It's Not What You Think
Recommendation
-
Stock market today: Asian stocks are mixed ahead of key US inflation data
-
An 11-year-old Virginia boy is charged with making swatting calls to Florida schools
-
Ice Spice Details Hysterically Crying After Learning of Taylor Swift's Karma Collab Offer
-
Flamin' Hot Cheetos 'inventor' sues Frito-Lay alleging 'smear campaign'
-
Hate crime charges dropped against 12 college students arrested in Maryland assault
-
USA vs. France takeaways: What Americans' loss in Paris Olympics opener taught us
-
Meta’s Oversight Board says deepfake policies need update and response to explicit image fell short
-
Zendaya's Wet Look at 2024 Paris Olympics Pre-Party Takes Home the Gold