Judge blocks federal Alaska election suit
A federal court ruled the government lacked standing to stop certification of the Senate race, citing ballot secrecy concerns.
By Ryan Davidson ·
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the Trump administration cannot block the certification of results in Alaska's closely watched Senate race. The decision dismisses a lawsuit filed by the federal government that sought to pause state officials' certification process.
The Justice Department argued that the National Voter Registration Act allowed them to intervene. They asked the court to stop certification to investigate whether voters were confused by two candidates with similar names on the ranked-choice ballot. Judge Gleason, an Obama nominee, found the government did not have the legal ability to bring the suit.
A central concern for the judge was the right to a secret ballot. Gleason wrote that the government failed to explain how its requested relief would fix its alleged injury while keeping the ballot secret. She noted the lack of explanation was telling.
The Justice Department plans to appeal the ruling. Spokesperson Kiersten Pels told NPR that Alaskan voters deserve a fair election and should not be misled in an attempt to rig outcomes.
The legal battle centers on Sen. Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and Daniel Sullivan Jr., an independent candidate. President Trump ordered the lawsuit filed because of the similar names on the ballot. Alaska's Republican Party had previously tried to keep Sullivan Jr. off the ballot in state court, but the Alaska Supreme Court allowed him to run in June.
Republican officials have long alleged that Democrats supported Sullivan Jr. to spoil the incumbent's chances. Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation and said certification might change if wrongdoing is found. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman confirmed an ongoing criminal probe by the Justice Department at a press conference in Anchorage on Oct. 30. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola has denied involvement in recruiting Sullivan Jr.
Incumbent Sullivan said in a Sunday interview with CNN that he will accept the election results regardless of the outcome. More than 86,700 Alaskans have already voted in early voting, with polls remaining open through Tuesday's Election Day.
