Joh Skidmore, the American Samoa-Alaska voting case prosecutor, in context

On November 30, 2023, Tupe Smith, an American-Samoan resident of Whittier, Alaska, was arrested for running for the school board. Unlike people born in the other US territories (Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands), American Samoans are denied the full rights and privileges of citizenship and are classified as “US nationals.” Because of this, they do not have suffrage. Smith was arrested in front of her children and husband, which raised much backlash from her community in her defense, as her family became the symbol of the American Samoa-Alaska voting case. Along with ten felony counts of voter misconduct, Smith’s arrest created a gateway for officials to track down and punish illegal voting, setting the stage for ten more American Samoans to be charged with voting violations. Michael Pese, a member of the American-Samoan community, shared his frustration, stating that he pays “the same taxes as a US citizen,” but “cannot have a voice to represent what [he feels] is right within [his] own community.” 

Whittier, Alaska, is a small port town at the head of the Passage Canal, characterized by its extensive marine wildlife and breathtaking tidewater glaciers. This town is home to a large community of American Samoans, who chose Whittier as their new home after migrating 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Tupe Smith was a frequent volunteer in her children’s school district. At the Whittier school, she devoted her time to reading and cooking for the kids, and used her knowledge of the Samoan language as a “valuable aide to the many students who were still learning English.” As a mother and community member, she ran for the school board, winning unopposed with 106 votes. When Whittier resident Miliama Suli was asked about her community in the face of this issue, she said, “My kids ask me why we don’t leave Whittier. But I think we need to stay, we need to fight for what’s right for us.” Suli and Smith, like many Whittier community members, represent a strong determination to continue advocating for their community and fighting for their rights. 

As the case in favor of American Samoans progresses, so do demands for Alaska to amend its constitution to grant state and local voting rights to American Samoan nationals. In turn, prosecutions continue to occur, in which Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore is now prosecuting the 11 Samoans from Whittier, including Smith. When asked about the prosecution of these people, he said he is “simply doing so in response to evidence handed over by troopers.” 

So, the question arises: Who is John Skidmore?

Skidmore is a 25-year prosecutor who currently serves as the Deputy Attorney General for the Alaska Criminal Division. Prior to this position, he served as the Director of the Criminal Division for eight years. Skidmore began his career in the Department in 1997, starting at the Kenai District Attorney’s office, spending his time prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases all across the state. He has conducted trials and hearings all across the state, eventually joining the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office and serving as a misdemeanor unit trial attorney, property unit attorney, violent crimes unit trial attorney, and violent crimes unit supervisor. Furthermore, he also served as the head of the Office of Special Prosecutions before being named the Director of the Criminal Division.

Currently, in his role as Deputy Attorney General, he leads the prosecutions of a series of high-profile cases in Whittier, including the American Samoa-Alaska voting case. His stance is that these prosecutions are a matter of upholding state election law and that it is the role of his office to respond to evidence referred by law enforcement. He asserts that “ignorance of the law is not a defense” and that it is the role of prosecutors to uphold the law and prosecute violations.

The outcome of the American Samoan voting cases will ultimately be decided in court, but their impact is already clear. By bringing these charges, John Skidmore has placed Alaska at the center of a national conversation about citizenship, intent, and the limits of criminal law. What happens next may shape not only local elections, but how the law treats American Samoans across the country.