While the Party is disappointed with yesterday’s decision, the court made clear that the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) must determine whether Jose Tagle properly complied with Alaska’s financial disclosure laws, and that the Division may not certify him if he did not comply.

“The Division of Elections has decided it wants to keep its head in the sand, and the court concluded that it is up to APOC to clean this mess up,” said Jenny-Marie, Executive Director of the Alaska Democratic Party. “Now that the decision sits squarely with APOC, we expect the Commission to take a hard look at the facts and the law. Mr. Tagle’s blank disclosure left voters in the dark for months–and even if his recent amended filing is accurate, which is not at all clear, it does not change the fact that it was submitted well after the deadline to come into compliance.”

This case exposes concerns about how the Division of Elections handles candidate filing requirements and the timelines for addressing problems before a candidate is placed on the ballot. When multiple agencies, deadlines, and grace periods overlap, voters should not be left wondering who will enforce our laws. 

Alaska voters deserve to know the financial interests of candidates, and state agencies shouldn’t turn a blind eye to blatant disclosure violations.