Palmer Man Convicted of Perjury and Voter Misconduct in 2022 Election

August 1, 2024

(Palmer, AK) - On July 30, 2024, after a five-day trial, a Palmer jury found 72-year-old John Barton guilty of one count of Perjury and two counts of Voter Misconduct in the First Degree.

The convictions relate to a 2022 Matanuska-Susitna Borough election. Testimony at trial showed Barton went to two different polling places during the election and requested and received ballots for the same election. At both polling places, Barton certified that under penalty of perjury: "I have not and will not vote in any other manner in this election." Borough elections officials discovered that Barton had received two ballots in the same election and reported the incident to the Alaska State Troopers.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 6, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in Palmer in front of Superior Court Judge John Cagle. Barton faces a sentencing range of one to three years to serve on the Perjury conviction and 0 to two years on each of the two Voter Misconduct convictions. The case was investigated by the Alaska State Troopers and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Andrew Grannik of the Office of Special Prosecutions.

CONTACT: Chief Assistant Attorney General Jenna Gruenstein, at (907) 269-6250 or [email protected].

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at [email protected] or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.