Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Over Dual 'Dan Sullivan' Alaska Senate Ballot

A federal judge in Anchorage dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit on Sunday that sought to postpone the certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate election over concerns that two candidates sharing the name Dan Sullivan would cause voter confusion. The ruling arrived two days before Election Day in a pivotal race between Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason ruled that the federal government lacked standing to file the civil complaint, which had requested court intervention if Sen. Sullivan lost the election. The Justice Department had asked the court to order Alaska to segregate certain ballots and authorize an inquiry into the intent of citizens who voted for the non-incumbent candidate, a retired schoolteacher named Daniel J. Sullivan.

In her 20-page decision, Judge Gleason highlighted that the federal government failed to demonstrate how its proposed actions could resolve its claims while still preserving the secrecy of the ballot. She noted that managing the time, place, and manner of elections remains the constitutional responsibility of state officials rather than the federal executive branch. Gleason also rejected any further amendments to the complaint, stating the court lacked the authority to order ballot segregation for federal law enforcement reviews.

Following the dismissal, a Department of Justice spokesperson announced that the government intends to appeal the ruling. The spokesperson maintained that the non-incumbent entered the contest as a frivolous candidate intended to deceive voters and noted the court's dismissal rested on procedural grounds.

High-Stakes Senate Contest

The Senate race, which relies on a ranked-choice voting format, could affect which party controls the chamber, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority. President Donald Trump previously stated that he directed the filing of the lawsuit on Oct. 23, alleging that Democrats recruited the second Dan Sullivan to divert votes away from the incumbent.

Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, who moved to dismiss the case alongside state election officials, have denied allegations that they orchestrated the second candidate's bid. In a public statement, Peltola's campaign described the lawsuit as baseless, while Sen. Sullivan stated in a television interview prior to the ruling that he would accept the final results if defeated, despite criticizing his opponent's campaign.

Source: CNBC.