Steinau: No evidence that ballot issue affected race result

Alaska Democratic Party chairwoman Casey Steinau says there's no evidence to suggest that primary election-day problems affected the outcome of a northern Alaska legislative race.

The Division of Elections has said a poll worker in one House District 40 precinct mistakenly gave election-day voters both a Republican ballot and a ballot with the Democratic, Libertarian and Alaskan Independence Party candidates.

Both House candidates were Democrats. Unofficial results showed Dean Westlake defeated Rep. Benjamin Nageak by 21 votes.

Nageak, of Barrow, is a member of the Republican-led House majority. Westlake was backed by the Democratic party.

State GOP chair Tuckerman Babcock has suggested that another election be held. But Steinau says the voters have spoken and their will should be respected.

Steinau says Babcock is trying to meddle in a Democratic primary and overstepping his bounds.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)