AS Title 15, Chapter 56: Election Offenses, Corrupt Practices, and Penalties

Chapter 56. Election Offenses, Corrupt Practices, and Penalties. Sec. 15.56.010. Campaign misconduct in the first degree. [Repealed, § 28 ch 48 SLA 1996.] Sec. 15.56.012. Campaign misconduct in the first degree. (a) Except as provided in AS 15.56.014 and 15.56.016, a person commits the crime of campaign misconduct in the first degree if the person knowingly engages in conduct that violates a provision of AS 15.13 or a regulation adopted under authority of AS 15.13 . (b) Violation of this section is a corrupt practice. (c) Campaign misconduct in the first degree is a class A misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.014. Campaign misconduct in the second degree. (a) A person commits the crime of campaign misconduct in the second degree if the person (1) knowingly circulates or has written, printed, or circulated a letter, circular, or publication relating to an election, to a candidate at an election, or an election proposition or question without the name and address of the author appearing on its face; (2) except as provided by AS 15.13.090 (b), knowingly prints or publishes an advertisement, billboard, placard, poster, handbill, paid-for television or radio announcement, or communication, as that term is defined in AS 15.13.400 , intended to influence the election of a candidate or outcome of a ballot proposition or question without the words “paid for by” followed by the name and address of the person paying for the advertising or communication and, if a candidate or group, with the name of the campaign chair; (3) knowingly makes a communication, as that term is defined in AS 15.13.400 , (A) containing false factual information relating to a candidate for an election; (B) that the person knows to be false; and (C) that would provoke a reasonable person under the circumstances to a breach of the peace or that a reasonable person would construe as damaging to the candidate's reputation for honesty or integrity, or to the candidate's qualifications to serve if elected to office. (b) Violation of this section is a corrupt practice. (c) Campaign misconduct in the second degree is a class B misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.016. Campaign misconduct in the third degree. (a) A person commits the offense of campaign misconduct in the third degree if (1) the person violates a provision of AS 15.13 or a regulation adopted under AS 15.13 ; or (2) during the hours the polls are open and after election officials have posted warning notices as required by AS 15.15.170 or at the required distance in the form and manner prescribed by the chief municipal elections official in a local election, the person is within 200 feet of an entrance to a polling place, and (A) violates AS 15.15.170 ; or (B) circulates cards, handbills, or marked ballots, or posts political signs or posters relating to a candidate at an election or election proposition or question. (b) Campaign misconduct in the third degree is a violation. Sec. 15.56.018. Applicability of campaign misconduct provisions. (a) For purposes of AS 15.56.012 (a) and 15.56.016(a)(1), each day a violation continues constitutes a separate offense. (b) When a person is convicted of violating AS 15.56.012 , in addition to imposition of a sentence as authorized by AS 12.55.015 , notwithstanding AS 12.55.015 (c), the court shall order suspension, for a period of one year, of any license held by the defendant that allows the defendant to do business in the state. Sec. 15.56.019. Definition. [Repealed, § 22 ch 9 SLA 2014.] Sec. 15.56.020. Campaign misconduct in the second degree. [Repealed, § 28 ch 48 SLA 1996.] Sec. 15.56.025. Telephone campaign misconduct. (a) A person commits the crime of telephone campaign misconduct if the person makes a statement about a candidate (1) as part of an organized telephone poll or organized series of calls to convince potential voters concerning the outcome of an election; (2) that the person knows to be false; and (3) that the person intends to affect the outcome of the election. (b) Violation of this section is a corrupt practice. However, notwithstanding AS 15.20.540 , only a defeated candidate may contest the nomination or election of a person for violation of this section. (c) Telephone campaign misconduct is a class A misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.030. Unlawful interference with voting in the first degree. (a) A person commits the crime of unlawful interference with voting in the first degree if the person (1) uses, threatens to use, or causes to be used force, coercion, violence, or restraint, or inflicts, threatens to inflict, or causes to be inflicted damage, harm, or loss, upon or against another person to induce or compel that person to vote or refrain from voting in an election; (2) knowingly pays, offers to pay, or causes to be paid money or other valuable thing to a person to vote or refrain from voting in an election; (3) solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept money or other valuable thing with the intent to vote for or refrain from voting for a candidate at an election or for an election proposition or question; (4) violates AS 15.20.081 (a) by knowingly supplying or encouraging or assisting another person to supply to a voter an absentee ballot application form with a political party or group affiliation indicated if the voter is not already registered as affiliated with that political party or group, and the person has been previously convicted of unlawful interference with voting in the second degree under AS 15.56.035 (a)(5); (5) knowingly designs, marks, or encourages or assists another person to design or mark an absentee ballot application in a manner that suggests choice of one ballot over another as prohibited by AS 15.20.081 (a), and the person has been previously convicted of unlawful interference with voting in the second degree under AS 15.56.035 (a)(6); or (6) knowingly submits or encourages or assists another person to submit an absentee ballot application to an intermediary who could control or delay the submission of the application to the division of elections or who could gather data from the application form as prohibited by AS 15.20.081 (a), and the person has been previously convicted of unlawful interference with voting in the second degree under AS 15.56.035 (a)(7). (b) Violation of this section is a corrupt practice. (c) Unlawful interference with voting in the first degree is a class C felony. (d) For purposes of (a)(2) and (3) of this section, “other valuable thing” (1) includes (A) an entry in a game of chance in which a prize of money or other present or future pecuniary gain or advantage may be awarded to a participant wherein the total of the prizes offered is greater than $2 per participant with a maximum of $100; and (B) government employment or benefits; (2) does not include (A) materials having a nominal value bearing the name, likeness, or other identification of a candidate, political party, political group, party district committee, or organization, or stating a position on a ballot proposition or question; (B) food and refreshments provided incidental to an activity that is nonpartisan in nature and directed at encouraging persons to vote, or incidental to a gathering in support of or in opposition to a candidate, political party, political group, party district committee, organization, or ballot question or proposition; (C) care of the voter's dependents provided in connection with the absence of a voter from home for the purpose of voting; (D) services provided by a person acting as a representative under AS 15.20.072 ; (E) services provided by an election official as defined in AS 15.80.010 ; and (F) transportation of a voter to or from the polls without charge. Sec. 15.56.035. Unlawful interference with voting in the second degree. (a) A person commits the crime of unlawful interference with voting in the second degree if the person (1) has an official ballot in possession outside of the voting room unless the person is an election official or other person authorized by law or local ordinance, or by the director or chief municipal elections official in a local election; (2) makes, or knowingly has in possession, a counterfeit of an official election ballot; (3) knowingly solicits or encourages, directly or indirectly, a registered voter who is no longer qualified to vote under AS 15.05.010 , to vote in an election; (4) as a registration official (A) knowingly refuses to register a person who is entitled to register under AS 15.07.030 ; or (B) accepts a fee from an applicant applying for registration; (5) violates AS 15.20.081 (a) by knowingly supplying or encouraging or assisting another person to supply to a voter an absentee ballot application form with a political party or group affiliation indicated if the voter is not already registered as affiliated with that political party or group; (6) knowingly designs, marks, or encourages or assists another person to design or mark an absentee ballot application in a manner that suggests choice of one ballot over another as prohibited by AS 15.20.081 (a); or (7) knowingly submits or encourages or assists another person to submit an absentee ballot application to an intermediary who could control or delay the submission of the application to the division of elections or who could gather data from the application form as prohibited by AS 15.20.081 (a). (b) Violation of (a)(3) of this section is a corrupt practice. (c) Unlawful interference with voting in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.040. Voter misconduct in the first degree. (a) A person commits the crime of voter misconduct in the first degree if the person (1) votes or attempts to vote in the name of another person or in a name other than the person's own; (2) votes or attempts to vote more than once at the same election with the intent that the person's vote be counted more than once; (3) intentionally makes a false affidavit, swears falsely, or falsely affirms under an oath required by this title; (4) knowingly votes or solicits a person to vote after the polls are closed with the intent that the vote be counted. (b) Voter misconduct in the first degree is a class C felony. Sec. 15.56.050. Voter misconduct in the second degree. (a) A person commits the crime of voter misconduct in the second degree if the person (1) registers to vote without being entitled to register under AS 15.07.030 ; (2) knowingly makes a material false statement while applying for voter registration or reregistration; or (3) votes or attempts to vote in an election after being disqualified under AS 15.05.030 . (b) Voter misconduct in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.060. Unlawful interference with an election. (a) A person commits the crime of unlawful interference with an election if the person (1) induces or attempts to induce an election official to fail in the official's duty by force, threat, intimidation, or offers of reward; (2) intentionally changes, attempts to change, or causes to be changed an official election document including ballots, tallies, and returns; (3) intentionally delays, attempts to delay, or causes to be delayed the sending of the certificate, register, ballots, or other materials whether original or duplicate, required to be sent by AS 15.15.370 ; or (4) is contracted or employed by the state to print or reproduce in any manner an official ballot, and the person knowingly (A) personally appropriates, or gives or delivers to, or permits to be taken by anyone other than a person authorized by the director, official ballots; or (B) prints or reproduces or has printed or reproduced official ballots in a form or with a content other than that prescribed by law or as directed by the director. (b) Unlawful interference with an election is a class C felony. Sec. 15.56.070. Election official misconduct in the first degree. (a) A person commits the crime of election official misconduct in the first degree if while an election official, the person (1) intentionally fails to perform an election duty or knowingly does an unauthorized act with the intent to affect an election or its results; (2) knowingly permits or makes or attempts to make a false count of election returns; or (3) intentionally conceals, withholds, destroys, or attempts to conceal, withhold, or destroy election returns. (b) Election official misconduct in the first degree is a class C felony. Sec. 15.56.080. Election official misconduct in the second degree. (a) A person commits the crime of election official misconduct in the second degree if while an election official, and while the polls are open, the person (1) opens a ballot received from a voter at an election, unless permitted by ordinance in a local election; (2) marks a ballot by folding or otherwise so as to be able to recognize it; (3) otherwise attempts to learn how a voter marked a ballot; or (4) allows a person to do one of the acts prescribed by (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection. (b) Election official misconduct in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.090. Improper subscription to petition. (a) A person commits the crime of improper subscription to petition if the person (1) signs a name other than the person's own to a petition proposing an initiative, referendum, recall, or nomination of a candidate for state or local office; (2) knowingly signs more than once for the same proposition, question, or candidate at one election; (3) signs a petition proposing an initiative, referendum, recall, or nomination of a candidate for state or local office, while knowingly not being a qualified voter; or (4) solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept money or other valuable thing in exchange for signing or refraining from signing a petition proposing an initiative; in this paragraph, “other valuable thing” has the meaning given in AS 15.56.030 (d). (b) Improper subscription to petition is a class B misdemeanor. Sec. 15.56.100. Refusal to allow employees time off. (a) An employer commits the offense of refusal to allow employees time off if the employer refuses to allow an employee time off for the purpose of voting, or if, after allowing the time off, the employer deducts the time from the wages of the employee, except as provided in (b) of this section. (b) An employee who has two consecutive hours in which to vote, either between the opening of the polls and the beginning of the employee's regular working shift, or between the end of that regular working shift and the close of the polls, is considered to have sufficient time outside of working hours within which to vote. (c) Refusal to allow employees time off to vote is a violation. Sec. 15.56.110. Effect of certain convictions. (a) The election of a candidate to the state legislature or to municipal office who knowingly commits a corrupt practice or whose campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer knowingly commits a corrupt practice is voidable under this section. (b) If a successful candidate or the campaign treasurer or the deputy campaign treasurer of a successful candidate for the state legislature or for a seat on a city council or borough assembly or for mayor is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor described in this chapter as a corrupt practice, the eligibility of the successful candidate to hold the office to which elected shall be determined as to (1) a member of the legislature under art. II, sec. 12, Constitution of the State of Alaska; (2) a member of the borough assembly under AS 29.20.170 (6); (3) a borough mayor under AS 29.20.280 (6); (4) a member of the city council under AS 29.20.170 (6); (5) a city mayor under AS 29.20.280 (6). Sec. 15.56.115. Disposition of cases involving corrupt practice. When a candidate or a nominee or the campaign treasurer of a candidate or a nominee is charged with a felony or misdemeanor described in this chapter as a corrupt practice, the case shall be promptly tried and the case shall be accorded a preferred status by the courts to ensure a speedy disposition of the matter. Sec. 15.56.120. Election defined. [Repealed, § 4 ch 87 SLA 1996.] Sec. 15.56.130. Time limitation. [Repealed, § 12 ch 95 SLA 2008.] Sec. 15.56.199. Definitions. In this chapter, (1) “election” includes a local election as defined in AS 15.80.010 in addition to a state election; (2) “knowingly” has the meaning given in AS 11.81.900 (a).