DOJ asks court to guard Alaska Senate result from possible name confusion
The Justice Department filed a federal lawsuit seeking to delay certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses narrowly to Democrat Mary Peltola. The complaint argues that a third candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. could confuse voters and distort the result, though a state court earlier allowed him on the ballot. President Donald Trump said he directed the suit, which comes as the race is rated a toss-up.
The suit was filed Thursday in federal court in Alaska. It asks that certification be paused if Sen. Dan S. Sullivan trails Mary Peltola by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The complaint labels the third candidate’s run frivolous and cites Alaska’s ranked-choice system as a possible source of vote diversion.
Earlier this year, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. won a state court ruling restoring him to the ballot after officials removed him. The race is rated a toss-up, and President Donald Trump said he personally directed the federal lawsuit.
The case could affect Alaska voters and election administrators by introducing uncertainty over when results are final and how ranked-choice ballots are interpreted. It may also shape public confidence in federal involvement in state elections, with candidates and civil rights groups likely to watch closely. Because the race could decide Senate control, any delay or legal challenge may heighten scrutiny of certification procedures and voter instructions.