Federal prisoner will remain on ballot for Alaska's sole congressional seat

(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.

The U.S. Constitution requires congressional candidates to be 25 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, but there is no residency requirement to appear on a ballot. But if elected, a candidate would be required to live in the state he or she represents, which could be difficult for someone serving a prison sentence until 2036 in New York.

There's no evidence that Hafner sought a pardon, said David Fox, an attorney for the Democratic Party, during a hearing on Monday. Hafner, who pled guilty, does have an appeal pending, Fox said.

"I think it's more than outlandish to suggest that Mr. Hafner will become an inhabitant of Alaska by two months of the day," Fox said.