JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Backers of an effort to repeal ranked voting in Alaska violated state campaign finance rules, including by channeling money through a church-affiliated organization in a way that initially concealed the source of the contributions, a new report alleges.
The report, from the staff for the Alaska Public Offices Commission, recommends penalties of $22,500 for Art Mathias, a leader of the repeal effort, and around $20,000 for the church-affiliated Ranked Choice Education Association among its findings.
Mathias contributed $90,000 in late December, and in a June filing the association reported Mathias as the source of its contributions to the ballot group, the report states.
The report still must be considered by the commission, which is charged with enforcing campaign finance rules in the state.
The ballot group has been gathering signatures in a bid to get the proposed repeal initiative on the ballot.
Persons:
Art Mathias, Mathias, Kevin Clarkson, Clarkson, Mathias “, ” Mathias, Scott Kendall, “, Alaskans
Organizations:
Offices Commission, Choice Education Association, Alaskans, Better, Choice Education, Honest Elections, Honest Government
Locations:
JUNEAU, Alaska