- Alaska prosecutors dropped voter-misconduct cases against 11 Whittier residents after an appeals court ruled the state must prove defendants acted with a “consciousness of wrongdoing.”
- The lead defendant, Tupe Smith, was arrested for checking “U.S. citizen” on registration forms; she says officials told her to do so because no “U.S. national” option existed and language confusion influenced her answer, and the court found flaws in police questioning and the grand-jury process.
- Supporters call the decision a safeguard against punishing honest mistakes and say it highlights problems with prosecution choices and the need for clearer registration options for American Samoans (who are U.S. nationals, not automatic citizens).
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