Alaska appeals court weighs intent standard in prosecution of American Samoan voters

Alaska appeals court weighs intent standard in prosecution of American Samoan voters

The Alaska Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether the state can prosecute an American Samoan woman for voter misconduct even if she lacked any “intent to mislead or deceive” when registering to vote. Tupe Smith, an American Samoan woman living in Whittier, Alaska, is facing felony charges that could result in five to ten years in prison. American Samoans are labeled by the federal government as United States nationals, but not United States…