(The Center Square) — A man serving a 20-year prison sentence in New York will remain on Alaska’s ballot as a candidate for the state’s sole congressional seat.
Judge Ian Wheeles denied an injunction from the Alaska Democratic Party that would have kept Eric Hafner off the ballot.
Hafner, who attorneys said has never resided in Alaska, received the sixth-highest number of votes in the ranked-choice election for the congressional seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska. But after Republicans Nancy Dahlstrom and Matthew Salisbury dropped out, Hafner took the fourth place spot. He received 467 votes of the 108,407 cast in the August primary.
Peltola received 55,166 votes. Republican Nick Begich received 28,803, and Dahlstrom received 21,574. The November ballot will include Peltola, Begich, Alaska Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe and Hafner.
Hafner is listed as a registered Democrat but is not supported by the Alaska Democratic Party. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in December for targeting politicians, judges, police and private citizens with threats and extortion attempts in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.