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The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election under certain circumstances. The lawsuit focuses on a race between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, where another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan could complicate the count.
Filed on Oct. 22, the lawsuit argues that voters could confuse the two Sullivans. President Donald Trump later confirmed that he directed the Justice Department to take legal action. The request does not automatically stop certification. A judge would need to grant the requested relief.
Why is the DOJ challenging Alaska’s election?
The department wants Alaska to delay certification if Dan Sullivan loses by fewer votes than Daniel J. Sullivan receives. It argues that some voters may intend to support the incumbent but choose the other candidate by mistake.
The legal challenge relies on language in the National Voter Registration Act about protecting the integrity of elections. However, legal experts have questioned whether that law gives the federal government authority to block certification in this situation.
The case comes close to Election Day, with early voting already underway. Alaska’s courts previously allowed Daniel J. Sullivan to remain on the ballot after state election officials tried to remove him.
Who is the second candidate named Sullivan?
Daniel J. Sullivan is a retired teacher from Petersburg, a small fishing community in Alaska. He is registered as a Republican but appears on the ballot without a party label.
In the August primary, the incumbent received 68,726 votes. The challenger received 4,107. Daniel J. Sullivan has said he entered the race because he was unhappy with the senator’s representation. He has also denied having contact with Peltola’s campaign, according to the original report.
The general election ballot identifies the incumbent as a registered Republican and sitting senator. Those details help voters distinguish between the two candidates.
How does ranked choice voting affect the race?
Alaska uses ranked choice voting for its general election. Voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority of first choice votes, the last place candidate is eliminated and ballots transfer to the next available choice.
The Justice Department argues that confusion could lead some voters to rank Daniel J. Sullivan instead of the incumbent, or leave the incumbent off their rankings. That could affect later rounds of counting.
Still, voters can rank both candidates. The ballot also identifies the incumbent, which may help reduce confusion.
Why could this case matter nationally?
The race could affect control of the U.S. Senate. Democrats hope to gain seats, and Alaska is among the contests that could shape the chamber’s balance.
Election law experts have raised doubts about the lawsuit’s legal basis. They have also questioned how officials could determine voter intent after ballots are cast while preserving ballot secrecy.
Alaska officials expect ranked choice tabulation to begin Nov. 18, after the deadline for overseas ballots. The election result may therefore take weeks to settle. If the race is close, the court challenge could add another layer to an already complex count.
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