Protect Alaska’s Elections Expands Cross-Partisan Coalition

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (6/12/2026)

Protect Alaska’s Elections welcomes 45 new coalition members to its campaign to protect Alaska’s dark money disclosure laws and open primaries from repeal. These coalition members come from across the state, representing diverse backgrounds and political perspectives, including Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Undeclareds, Nonpartisans and more.

Protect Alaska’s Elections’ growing coalition signals the power of an Alaska-focused campaign. These leaders join Protect Alaska’s Elections’ initial 25-member coalition cohort, bringing its coalition up to 70 Alaska leaders calling for a No vote on repeal this November.

The proposed repeal would remove Alaska’s ban on dark money spending in Alaska elections, would allow political parties to close primary elections and deny access to certain voters, and would allow for candidates to win without majority support.

“We built this system to make sure every Alaskan has a say. Rolling it back would be a step in the wrong direction,” said Shauna Hegna, president of Koniag, Incorporated and coalition member.

“People, not parties, work best for Alaska. Always have. Always will,” added Diane Kaplan, philanthropy ambassador and coalition member.

“I have been undeclared all my life. I want to hear from anyone running for office and make up my own mind on who to vote for, not have a party tell me,” said Kyle Kaiser, Membership Development at IBEW Local 1547, U.S. Army Veteran, veteran advocate and coalition member.

Protect Alaska’s Elections will continue announcing coalition members in the months ahead.

Protect Alaska’s Elections Coalition Members

1. Aaron Schutt, President & CEO of Doyon, Ltd, Board Chair of the Alaska Regional Association, hockey coach, Interior

2. Aaron Welternlen, President, W. V. Builders Inc., Fairbanks

3. Abel Hopson-Suvlu, Community engagement at Arctic Slope Native Association, Utqiaġvik

4. Alana Peterson, Business owner and Tribal leader, Sitka

5. Ana Hoffman, President and CEO of Bethel Native Corporation, former co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, Y-K Delta

6. Andrea Akall’eq, Executive Director of Native Peoples Action, Native Peoples Action Community Fund, Juneau

7. Anna Brawley, Anchorage Assembly member, Anchorage

8. Anthony Mallot, Former president and CEO of Sealaska Corporation, Juneau

9. Ben Kellie, Co–Founder and CEO, Applied Atomics, Anchorage

10. Ben Millstein, Founder of Kodiak Brewing Company, Kodiak

11. Bonnie L. Jack, Project Manager and community activist, Anchorage

12. Brian Murkowski, President of The North Slope Railroad Company; CFO of Dilchi’ Exploration; Owner Brian Murkowski Energy Consulting, Anchorage

13. Bronson Frye, Business Representative for IUPAT Alaska Local 1959, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Southcentral Alaska

14. Bryan Schroder, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, former United States Attorney, Anchorage

15. Rep. Bryce Edgmon, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dillingham

16. Sen. Cathy Giessel, Senate Majority Leader, Anchorage

17. Chris Dimond, Organizer for Carpenters Local 1281, Anchorage

18. Chuck Seaca, Nonprofit director, former Bethel City Councilman, Bethel

19. Daniel Volland, Business owner and Anchorage Assembly member, Anchorage

20. Diane Kaplan, Alaska philanthropy ambassador, Anchorage

21. Eleanor Andrews, Civic entrepreneur, Anchorage

22. Elizabeth Ripley, Retired, former President & CEO of the Mat-Su Health Foundation, Mat-Su Valley

23. Emil Notti, Former president of the Alaska Federation of Natives and Doyon, Ltd., Anchorage

24. Ephraim Froehlich, Founder of AKWA-DC, Juneau

25. Fran Ulmer, Former Lieutenant Governor, Anchorage

26. Frank Gwartney, U.S. Navy veteran, retired IBEW, Anchorage and Hope

27. Sen. Gary Stevens, Senate President, Kodiak

28. Mayor Grier Hopkins, Mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Fairbanks

29. Heidi Drygas, Executive Director of ASEA-AFSCME Local 52, Juneau

30. Hugh Short, CEO of Pt Capital, Anchorage

31. Ian Laing, Executive Director of Institute of the North, Anchorage

32. Jasmin Smith, Business owner and creator of Alaska Black Business Directory, Anchorage

33. Jeff King, Four-time Iditarod champion, Denali

34. Jennie Kellie, Arctic Policy PhD student, Former Alaska State Representative, 3x founder and social impact consultant, Anchorage

35. Jennifer Johnston, Former State Representative and Anchorage Assembly member, Anchorage

36. Joe Nelson, Attorney, Co-Chair of Alaska Federation of Natives, current and former chairman of numerous Alaska organizations and Alaska Native Corporations, Southeast

37. Joelle Hall, President of Alaska AFL-CIO and U.S. Army Veteran, Anchorage

38. John Lincoln, President and CEO of NANA, Kotzebue

39. Jon Cook, Business owner, former chair of Alaska Railroad Corporation board, Fairbanks

40. Julie Kitka, Former president of Alaska Federation of Natives, Chugach Region

41. Katherine Jernstrom, Co-founder and CEO of The Boardroom, board member of Chugach Electric Association, Anchorage

42. Kyle J. Kaiser, Membership development at IBEW Local 1547, U.S. Army veteran and veteran advocate, Anchorage

43. Laaganaay Tsiits Gitanee, Tribal leader, kelp farmer, Native non-profit leader, and co-founder, Gínga & Ignin Collective, Kake

44. Lee Ellis, US Marine Corps, former President, Brewers Guild of Alaska, Girdwood

45. Linda Behnken, Commercial fisherman, FV Woodstock, Sitka

46. Liz Qaulluq Cravalho, Vice President of Lands at NANA Regional Corporation and Tribal and Community Member, Kotzebue

47. Mark Wiggin, General Manager of Kuupik Oilfield Services, Board Chair of Chugach Electric Association Board of Directors, Anchorage

48. McHugh Pierre, President and CEO of Goldbelt, Inc., Juneau

49. Mike Navarre, Former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor and Former Alaska State Legislator, Kenai

50. Miles Baker, Founder & Managing Principal of Miles Baker Alaska, LLC and former U.S. Marine Corps Officer, Anchorage and Juneau

51. Natasha Singh, Stevens Village Tribal Citizen and Tribal health leader, Anchorage

52. Nicole Borromeo, President of ANCSA Regional Association, Anchorage

53. Pat K. Pitney, Former University of Alaska president, former state Budget Director, Fairbanks

54. Patrick FitzGerald, Political Coordinator for Teamsters Local 959, Anchorage

55. Penny Gage, Energy policy executive, Tribal Member and Community Leader, board member of Chugach Electric Association, Anchorage and Sitka

56. Philip Wight, Alaska history professor at UAF and Golden Valley Electric Association board member, Fairbanks

57. Rachel Pennington, Managing owner of Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage

58. Reid Magdanz, Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly, Kotzebue

59. Roy “Apagruk” Agloinga, President and CEO of First Alaskans Institute, Anchorage

60. Santa Claus, North Pole City Council member, North Pole

61. Shauna Hegna, President of Koniag, Kodiak Region

62. Sheldon Fisher, Managing partner of MASH, LLC and former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue, Anchorage

63. Skoey Vergen, President & CEO of Aleut Corporation, Anchorage

64. Sydney Scout, Anchorage Assembly member, Anchorage

65. Taylor Evenson, Commercial fisherman, owner of Highliner Hotel, Eagle River

66. Terrie Gottstein, Retired higher education mentor, Anchorage

67. Tina Tomsen, MD, OB-GYN, Retired after 34 years in private practice, Anchorage

68. Wally McDonald, Business owner, Fleet Refrigeration, Petersburg

69. ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak Barbara Blake, Board Member Sealaska Corporation, Southeast Alaska

70. Rep. Zack Fields, House of Representatives, Laborers Local 341, Anchorage

For more information, visit Protect Alaska’s Elections at protectalaskaselections.org or contact info@protectalaskaselections.org