Justice Department seeks conditional block on Alaska Senate certification
publishers 32articles 34first reported 23 Oct, 15:15 UTCdeveloping since 23 Oct · 10 editionstop 25 #18
The U.S. Justice Department has asked a federal judge to block certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola and votes cast for another candidate named Dan Sullivan could change the result.
The lawsuit, filed after voting had begun and 12 days before Election Day, argues that the second Sullivan’s candidacy could confuse voters and reduce support for the senator. President Donald Trump said he directed the legal action, according to Common Dreams. Multiple outlets reported that the proposed order would apply if Peltola wins.
The other Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher and registered Republican from Petersburg, was initially removed from the ballot, but a judge reversed that decision and the Alaska Supreme Court upheld the ruling. Ballots identify the senator as a registered Republican and incumbent, while the second Sullivan appears without those descriptions.
The Justice Department alleges that the second candidate’s “sole purpose” is to create confusion and benefit Peltola. Its complaint cites his past support for Democrats and for Peltola’s U.S. House candidacy, but does not allege direct coordination with her campaign.
Under the requested remedy, certification of a Peltola victory would be delayed if assigning the second Sullivan’s votes to the incumbent would alter the outcome, allowing officials to investigate voter intent. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 1 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- This version written
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WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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