The Alaska Democratic Party filed a petition Wednesday in state Superior Court seeking to force the Alaska Division of Elections to remove Republican House District 22 candidate Jose Tagle from the November general election ballot, escalating a legal dispute that began in June.
Background on the Dispute
The Alaska Public Offices Commission recommended in late August that Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom decline to certify both Tagle and former attorney general Treg Taylor — who is running for governor — after finding that neither had completed campaign finance disclosure reports within the required 30-day window under state law.
Dahlstrom initially declined to certify both candidates on Aug. 31, then reversed course on Sep. 4, reinstating both men. She cited a review by the Alaska Department of Law that identified gaps in financial disclosure reports filed by 91 other candidates. The Alaska Democratic Party characterized the reversal as a capitulation to outside pressure, though it offered no evidence to support that claim.
The new petition targets only Tagle’s reinstatement. Party spokesperson Jalen Lee said the challenge to Taylor was not pursued because the existing lawsuit against Tagle was already before the court. Taylor’s case involved a separate issue — he had failed to disclose the names of renters at several Anchorage properties.
What the Court Has Already Said
The Democrats’ original June lawsuit argued Tagle was ineligible for the primary after submitting a completely blank financial disclosure report. Superior Court Judge Josie Garton ruled against the party on Aug. 16, finding that the Alaska Public Offices Commission holds authority to investigate financial reports, while the Division of Elections and the lieutenant governor’s office are responsible for administering elections and enforcing filing deadlines.
That same ruling stated that a candidate who fails to substantially comply with Alaska Statute 39.50 within the required time limits forfeits the right to nomination and election — a provision the Democratic Party now argues bars Tagle from the general election ballot given APOC’s finding against him.
Tagle updated his APOC financial disclosure report on Aug. 16 to include income and business interests, the same day Judge Garton issued her ruling. He did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday; his voicemail was full.
What the Party Is Asking For
The petition asks the court to direct the Division of Elections to remove Tagle from the November ballot. It goes further, requesting that if Tagle wins the election before a ruling is issued, the court should prohibit Dahlstrom from allowing him to take office.
Attorneys for the Division of Elections have previously argued that APOC — not the division — holds authority over candidate eligibility and compliance with state disclosure laws. That argument prevailed in the August ruling, and the division is expected to raise similar defenses in response to the new petition.
The Democratic Party’s executive director is Jenny Marie Stryker. The case returns to Superior Court as Alaska’s general election approaches in November.
A separate legal challenge involving a different Alaska candidate is also pending; a federal complaint alleges coordination between an Alaska Senate candidate and an outside group. Dahlstrom’s Sep. 4 reinstatement of Taylor drew separate attention after the lieutenant governor reversed her own disqualification decision ahead of the general election.