The former East Anchorage lawmaker Gabrielle LeDoux’s election misconduct case had a mistrial on Monday due to a hung jury. In 2022, LeDoux was accused by state authorities of allegedly encouraging non-residents of House District 15 to cast ballots for her in the 2018 elections.
In addition to five felony charges, LeDoux faced 12 counts of voter election malpractice. The jury told the court on Monday that they were at a standstill following hours of deliberation. Attorneys gave closing statements before Thanksgiving, but jury deliberations were postponed until Monday due to schedule conflicts.
Kevin Fitzgerald, LeDoux’s lawyer, contested the prosecution’s allegations during the trial, arguing that his conduct violated Alaska’s residency laws. LeDoux stated on the witness stand that she thought Lisa Simpson, a close friend, and Simpson’s son Caden Vaught intended to move into District 15 before the elections.
Furthermore, LeDoux argued that she was within the boundaries of law when she encouraged people to register. However, according to prosecutor Jenna Gruenstein, Alaska’s residency regulation calls for more specific actions. She also claimed that before the 2018 election, neither Vaught nor Simpson met these criteria.
According to testimony, Simpson had yet to move into the triplex he was buying in the district. Gruenstein also highlighted the close relationship between LeDoux and Simpson, arguing that the lawmaker was likely aware of their actual living situations. Text messages suggested LeDoux anticipated a tight race and sought additional votes.
Fitzgerald countered, stating that neither vote affected the election’s outcome. He claimed that LeDoux acted on her understanding of the law and that residency claims were legitimate. Despite the mistrial, the charges against LeDoux remain unresolved. Prosecutors have not announced if they plan to retry Gabrielle LeDoux’s election misconduct case.
This new article was originally published by Alaska´s News Source.
