Today the Resource Development Council and several other Alaska trade groups filed a lawsuit against Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer (R – Alaska), Alaska Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai, and Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share. In the complaint they allege that Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share paid signature gatherers more than $1 per signature. Alaska law only allows signature gatherers to be paid no more than $1 per signature.

The other trade groups that are part of the lawsuit are the Alaska Trucking Association, the Alaska Miners Association, Associated General Contractors of Alaska, the Alaska Chamber, and the Alaska Support Industry Alliance. They are represented by the lawfirm Holland and Knight.

Here is a copy of the lawsuit.

Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share paid two groups, Advanced Micro Targeting and Texas Petition Strategies, to collect signatures. The complaint alleges the signature gatherers were paid between $3,500-$4,000 per month to gather signatures, and that this amount adds up to more than $1 per signature.

The lawsuit is asking for the signatures to be invalidated. If successful, the ballot initiative would not appear on this year’s ballot. Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share would affect legacy North Slope fields. It aims to increase the gross tax rate and eliminate per barrel tax credits from oil produced from those fields. I called the chair of the group, Robin Brena, for a comment but he was unavailable.

Editor’s note: If the lawsuit is successful the party they throw is going to be lit!