Judge Upholds Hafner's Alaska Ballot Candidacy

A New York prisoner, Eric Hafner, has been allowed to stay on Alaska's general election ballot for the U.S. House seat, despite not meeting residency requirements. State Superior Court Judge Ian Wheeles dismissed the Alaska Democratic Party's lawsuit, which argued Hafner's candidacy violated state and constitutional rules. Hafner finished sixth in the primary but advanced due to two Republican candidates dropping out. The judge ruled that Alaska's ranked-choice voting system mitigates potential harm to other candidates. The decision has raised concerns within the Democratic Party about voter confusion and electoral strategy. Meanwhile, in a separate ruling, Louisville Rep. Nima Kulkarni won her appeal to stay on the ballot after being disqualified over filing paperwork issues.