Elections officials investigate eligibility complaint against Southwest Alaska House candidate

Budding trees and bushes are seen successful beforehand of nan Alaska State Capitol connected Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska Division of Elections is investigating whether nonpartisan campaigner Darren Deacon is eligible to tally for agency successful House District 37, a ample region covering parts of Southwest Alaska.

Alaska House District 37, seen successful gray, stretches from Beluga successful nan Kenai Peninsula Borough successful nan eastbound to Attu Island successful nan west. (Detail of Alaska Division of Elections map)

Documents obtained from nan section done a nationalist records petition show eligibility complaints were revenge against 3 authorities House candidates during a legally allowed 10-day model successful early June.

The section dismissed complaints against Republicans Steve Menard of Wasilla and Brandy Pennington of Anchorage, but successful Deacon’s case, nan division is investigating further.

Contacted by telephone and email, Deacon said he was unaware of nan title against him and will reappraisal nan documents. If they warrant a comment, he said he would speak astatine that time.

State rule requires that a legislative campaigner beryllium a resident of Alaska for 3 years and of their territory for astatine slightest 1 twelvemonth earlier filing their candidacy.

The complaint against Deacon was revenge by Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, who said that voting records bespeak Deacon was registered to ballot successful Anchorage until precocious and that his societal media posts bespeak that he lives successful that city.

Deacon’s Facebook page astatine nan clip of nan title stated that he “lives successful Anchorage,” and his LinkedIn floor plan listed him arsenic being employed successful Anchorage for respective years. 

Geotagged societal media posts betwixt January and May besides show him “in Anchorage continuously,” Fields’ title states.

In its missive to Deacon, nan Division of Elections said that Deacon voted successful nan November 2022 wide predetermination from Anchorage and that he didn’t move his elector registration to Kalskag, a municipality successful District 37, until Feb. 26.

When Deacon revenge a declaration of candidacy successful March, nan section rejected it because Deacon said he had been a resident of Kalskag since May 15, 2023. Deacon refiled his candidacy shape connected May 16 this year, and it was accepted.

The Division of Elections missive states that because Deacon was precocious registered to ballot extracurricular District 37, he must show “clear and convincing evidence” that he has maintained “a habitation” successful Kalskag since May 15, 2023. 

“If you do not supply further materials by July 1, DOE will rumor a last determination based connected nan grounds it has,” nan missive states.

Deacon is simply a committee personnel for nan Kuskokwim Corp., a Native corp pinch shareholders from 10 villages on nan Kuskokwim River, including Kalskag. His online biography states that he resides successful Kalskag and graduated from George Morgan Sr. High School successful Upper Kalskag successful 1997 earlier becoming a telecommunications technician.

Deacon is nan lone campaigner moving against longtime incumbent Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. 

“From what I know, it’s very clear he hasn’t lived successful House District 37 for a number of years. I’ve been told by sources successful Kalskag that he hasn’t lived location year-round for 2 to 3 years, if not longer,” Edgmon said erstwhile reached by telephone connected Wednesday.

He had nary remark erstwhile asked whether he coordinated pinch Fields connected nan complaint.