Alaska Drops Voter Misconduct Cases Against American Samoans
PUBLISHED Sep 12, 2026, 9:57 PM ET
Alaska prosecutors are dropping voter misconduct cases against a group of residents born in American Samoa after a state appeals court dismissed felony charges against a woman who incorrectly checked a U.S. citizen box on voter registration forms. The Alaska Department of Law announced the decision following a ruling by a three-judge Court of Appeals panel which established that state law requires proof that defendants acted with a consciousness of wrongdoing. The legal proceedings originally began when Tupe Smith, a resident of Whittier, Alaska, was arrested in 2023 after winning election to a regional school board. Smith, born in American Samoa where residents are classified as U.S. nationals rather than automatic citizens, relied on instructions from local officials when marking the form due to the lack of a national designation option. Acting Attorney General Cori Mills stated that prosecutors concluded they could not prove the cases beyond a reasonable doubt.
By Yusra M. | JQJO News
- Articles Published:
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- Right Leaning:
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- Left Leaning:
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Left: Progressive publications emphasize systemic colonial legacy issues regarding territorial rights. Center: Mainstream outlets report prosecutorial decisions and appellate court legal standards objectively. Right: Conservative outlets focus on election integrity and strict adherence to eligibility rules.
On September 12 2026 the Alaska Department of Law dropped voter misconduct cases. https://apnews.com/article/alaska-american-samoa-voter-fraud-citizenship-8c93f189cab05cb6f751be53cbf62c7a
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Alaska drops cases against American Samoans who checked US citizen on voter form
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