Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola missed 794 votes across five terms in the Alaska House of Representatives while collecting taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits, according to legislative attendance records reviewed by Fox News Digital.

The absences represent a pattern of missed votes spanning multiple taxpayer serving positions. Peltola also missed 22 Anchorage City Council meetings during her time in municipal office. Her attendance record is now raising questions about her commitment to public service as she advances to Alaska's four-candidate general election for U.S. Senate.

Hundreds of Missed Votes Across Legislative Career

Over five terms serving in the Alaska House, Peltola was absent for 794 of more than 4,000 votes taken by the legislature. The absences occurred across multiple sessions and committees, leaving constituents without representation on hundreds of legislative decisions.

A spokesperson for incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan called the absences "an insult to Alaskans" and accused Peltola of "slacking off" by missing critical fisheries subcommittee hearings. Alaska's fishing industry represents a major economic driver for the state, making attendance at fisheries oversight sessions particularly significant for coastal districts.

Taxpayer Funded Benefits During Absences

Despite the missed votes, Peltola continued receiving full legislative compensation including salary, per diem payments, and health insurance benefits provided to Alaska state legislators. The pattern mirrors similar controversies facing other Democratic Senate candidates in 2026.

Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek faced scrutiny earlier this summer after missing nearly 60% of legislative votes while collecting over $20,000 in taxpayer-funded per diem payments. That case has become a template for Republican attacks on Democratic candidates with poor attendance records.

City Council Absences Add to Record

Before her time in the state legislature, Peltola served on the Anchorage City Council, where she missed 22 meetings. The municipal absences add another layer to concerns about her availability for public service duties.

The Peltola campaign pushed back on the attendance criticism in a statement to Fox News Digital, though the campaign did not dispute the specific vote count or meeting absence numbers. Campaign officials emphasized Peltola's constituent services and committee work outside of floor sessions.

Senate Race Implications

The attendance issue arrives as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer targets Alaska as critical to Democratic hopes of retaking Senate control. Republicans hold a narrow majority, making every competitive race significant for both parties' 2026 strategies.

Peltola faces a four-way general election in November. Alaska uses ranked choice voting, which could benefit her candidacy if Republican voters split their support among multiple conservative candidates. However, the attendance record provides ammunition for Republican opponents seeking to define her as uncommitted to constituent representation.

Sullivan's campaign has made Peltola's attendance record a central line of attack, framing the missed votes as evidence she would be an unreliable representative in Washington. The Republican senator points to his own attendance record and committee participation as contrast.