Right On Write-Ins!

After the Alaska Supreme Court ignored standing law about partisan information near the polling place which enormously helps Senator Lisa Murkowski’s  (?-AK) Senatorial write-in campaign, outraged Alaskans acted quickly.  Anchorage Radio Personality Dan Fagan urged his KDQF listeners to engage in civil disobedience and file write in applications to the Division of Elections.  The window for filing closed today but the Anchorage office of the Division of Elections received 56 write- in candidate applications in 45 minutes.

If the final ruling from the Alaska Supreme Court allows for write in candidate cheat sheets,  Murkowski’s name could be lost in a sea of candidates which would frustrate would be voters.

This judicial October Surprise ignored standing Alaskan law and the stay seems to be skewed in order to help an endangered incumbent. But for once the citizenry did not passively stand on the sidelines for this dirty trick but fully exploited this insider opportunity.  Perhaps after this audacious ad hoc electioneering, the “Men In Black” will follow the law rather than make it up using situational ethics.

Update 10/29  It turns out that 154 write-in candidates registered with the Division of Elections.  Also, a Murkowski campaign volunteer complained to KDQF that Fagan's content bordered on election tampering, but did not threaten legal action or demand Fagan's firing. Nevertheless, the station pulled him off the air on Friday and would review the issue on Monday.


Update 10/30 Sarah Palin speaks out on Facebook to defend Dan Fagan's right to speak out over the election and not be threatened by beltway elitists.