Article By David Hawkins
James O’Keefe of the O’Keefe Media Group released an undercover video from Alaska’s August 18 primary election showing poll workers offering questioned ballots to individuals who provided false names connected to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) without presenting identification.
At one polling location, O’Keefe gave workers the name Brian Murkowski, identified in the report as the senator’s brother, and said he had left his identification in his vehicle.
“The last name is M U R K O W S K I,” O’Keefe said.
“I left my wallet in the vehicle.
“Would it be possible to vote without it?” O’Keefe asked.
“Absolutely possible,” a poll worker replied.
The worker later told O’Keefe, “You can vote if you’d like to. Do you want to do a question ballot?”
O’Keefe responded in part, “I mean, all I got to do is do the question ballot, then I can vote.”
Worker Located Murkowski Name on Voter Rolls
According to the undercover report, election workers located Brian Murkowski’s name on the voter rolls.
O’Keefe said he did not check in under the name, sign election documents, or cast a ballot.
At a separate Anchorage polling location, another O’Keefe Media Group operative provided the name Karina Waller, identified as Murkowski’s state director, while also saying no identification was available.
According to O’Keefe Media Group, the worker confirmed that the individual was at the correct polling location and offered a questioned ballot.
Alaska Law Allows Questioned Ballot Without ID
Alaska law generally requires voters to present identification before voting.
Under Alaska Statutes Section 15.15.225, acceptable identification can include a voter registration card, driver’s license, state ID, passport, birth certificate, hunting or fishing license, or certain documents showing the voter’s name and current address.
Election officials may waive the identification requirement when they personally know the voter, subject to restrictions involving certain first-time voters.
But the statute also explicitly states that a person unable to produce identification “shall be allowed to vote a questioned ballot.”
That ballot is completed like a regular ballot but is placed in a separate envelope and subjected to additional review before election officials determine whether it should be counted.
The O’Keefe report highlighted that provision while demonstrating how the process operates in practice.
BREAKING NEWS: O'Keefe Offered Senator Lisa Murkowski's Brother Ballot at Alaskan Polling Location With No ID Required
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) August 20, 2026
Anchorage Polling Worker Also Offers Lisa Murkowski’s State Director, Karina Waller's Ballot Without ID on August 18th, Primary Election Day
Murkowski Opposes… pic.twitter.com/ewC7LdTM9R
Report Raises Questions About Point-of-Vote Verification
The undercover interactions show that a person who provides a name appearing on Alaska’s voter rolls can be offered a questioned ballot without producing identification at the polling place.
The state instead relies on a later administrative review to determine whether the ballot should ultimately be accepted.
O’Keefe Media Group also reported that Brian Murkowski’s name remained on Alaska’s voter rolls despite the group’s claim that he no longer resides in the state.
Voter roll maintenance is handled separately by the Alaska Division of Elections.
Murkowski Defends Opposition to SAVE Act
Before the undercover report was released, Murkowski’s office provided O’Keefe Media Group with a statement defending her position on voter identification.
“Senator Murkowski has consistently supported the requirement of photo ID to vote, and earlier this month she voted in favor of a separate measure on the Senate floor to do just that,” Murkowski’s office stated.
“However, the Save America Act is an overly burdensome one-size-fits-all mandate from Washington.
“It would be impossible to implement in time for this election and would likely disenfranchise thousands of eligible Alaskan voters.
“In any case, voter impersonation is a crime and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Murkowski has opposed the federal SAVE Act, citing concerns about imposing uniform documentation requirements on Alaska’s remote and rural communities.
She joined Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and several other Republicans in blocking the legislation ahead of the midterm elections.
O’Keefe’s undercover report now puts renewed attention on Alaska’s existing system, where identification is generally required but voters who cannot produce it may still receive a questioned ballot pending later verification.
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