It’s official: Division of Elections finalizes booting ‘Decoy Dan’ from Senate ballot

By SUZANNE DOWNING

June 15, 2026 – The Alaska Division of Elections has formally removed Daniel James Sullivan Jr. of Petersburg from the ballot for U.S. Senate, concluding that his candidacy was not a legitimate campaign for office but rather an effort designed to confuse voters by mimicking incumbent US Sen. Dan Sullivan.

In a final determination issued Monday, Division Director Carol Beecher ruled that the “preponderance of the evidence” did not support Sullivan’s eligibility and ordered his candidacy decertified.

The decision ends weeks of controversy surrounding the candidate widely referred to by critics as “Decoy Dan.”

Beecher found that Sullivan’s declaration of candidacy was not filed in good faith and instead appeared intended to mislead voters and compromise the fairness of Alaska’s election ballot.

“It is my final determination under 6 AAC 25.260 that the preponderance of the evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of United States Senator,” Beecher wrote.

The Division’s investigation was prompted by complaints filed on behalf of Alaska Republican Party Chair Carmela Warfield. Beecher previously notified Sullivan that the evidence did not support his eligibility and gave him an opportunity to submit additional information defending his candidacy. According to the Division, Sullivan failed to provide any additional evidence before the deadline.

In her final ruling, Beecher highlighted several factors that led to the decision.

Among them was Sullivan’s request to appear on the ballot as “Dan Sullivan,” despite Division records showing he had never previously registered to vote or interacted with election officials under that name. Records show he was registered as “Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr.”

Beecher also noted that Sullivan initially emailed election officials seeking ballot access as “Dan S. Sullivan” — using the same middle initial as the incumbent senator rather than his own.

The ruling further pointed to Sullivan’s sudden switch to Republican registration just two days before filing for office. According to the Division, he had never before been affiliated with the Alaska Republican Party.

Beecher concluded that the combination of adopting the incumbent senator’s commonly used name and switching to the incumbent’s political party strongly suggested an effort to create confusion rather than distinguish himself as a separate candidate.

The Division also cited similarities between Sullivan’s campaign website and the incumbent senator’s campaign website, including design elements, color schemes and overall presentation.

Additionally, Beecher noted that a political consultant working with Sullivan had long-standing ties to Democratic candidates, including Democratic Senate challenger Mary Peltola.

“These facts force the conclusion that your declaration of candidacy was filed with the purpose of confusing or misleading the electorate and compromising the fairness of the ballot,” Beecher wrote.

The ruling states that a declaration of candidacy filed for the purpose of misleading voters cannot be considered properly filed under Alaska law and therefore cannot remain on the ballot.

Although Sullivan may appeal the decision in Alaska Superior Court within 30 days, Beecher warned that ballots are scheduled to be printed on June 28.

The decision was welcomed by Sen. Dan Sullivan’s campaign.

“Every Alaskan has the right to a free and fair election, free from deception and gamesmanship,” said campaign manager Billy Mackey. “We thank Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom for upholding that right and for ensuring Alaskans can choose their next senator without a sham candidate whose primary purpose was to confuse Alaskan voters, treat Alaskans with contempt, and rig the election for Peltola.”

Mackey said the controversy had distracted from the actual Senate race.

“Senator Sullivan has spent his career delivering for Alaska,” Mackey said, citing energy development, military and Coast Guard investments, healthcare funding and legislation passed during Sullivan’s tenure. “Alaskans deserve a senator who gets big things done.”

The Alaska Republican Party had argued throughout the dispute that the candidacy was a deliberate attempt to exploit voter confusion.

Public records previously highlighted by Republicans showed that Sullivan had donated to Democratic candidates, including Mary Peltola, and had voted in the Democratic primary in 2024. Republicans also pointed to the involvement of political consultant Amber Lee, a longtime Democratic operative and supporter of Peltola, who acknowledged working with Sullivan’s campaign.

The case drew national attention after the National Republican Senatorial Committee filed complaints with federal regulators alleging coordinated efforts to create voter confusion in Alaska’s top-four election system.

With Sullivan now removed from the ballot, the race returns to a more conventional contest between incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and former US Rep. Mary Peltola, who is seeking a political comeback after losing her House seat in 2024.

The Division’s decision marks one of the most unusual ballot-access rulings in Alaska history and may establish a precedent for how election officials handle future cases involving candidates accused of intentionally attempting to mislead voters through name similarity and party affiliation changes.