Alaska Drops Voter Cases Over Citizenship Confusion | Birmingham News

Alaska prosecutors are dropping felony voter misconduct charges against several American Samoan residents, including Tupe Smith, after an appeals court ruled that the state must prove intent to deceive—not just errors on forms. The court overturned Smith’s indictment, citing flawed questioning by troopers and irregularities in the grand jury process. Smith, elected to a school board, had relied on incorrect advice about her citizenship status; prosecutors claimed she knowingly lied, but the court found the questions confusing and misleading. The ruling reinforces that U.S. citizenship at birth doesn’t automatically apply to American Samoans, and it sets a precedent that voter laws require proof of criminal intent, not honest mistakes. Smith’s lawyer hailed the decision as a step toward justice and clarity for her community. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.al.com/native-american-news/2026/09/alaska-drops-voter-misconduct-cases-against-american-samoans-who-checked-us-citizen-box.html More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/425bf468c629897b Report issues to [email protected].