DOJ seeks to block Alaska Senate certification if Republican incumbent loses
publishers 28articles 29first reported 23 Oct, 15:18 UTCdeveloping since 23 Oct · 9 editions
The Justice Department has sued Alaska election officials, seeking to prevent certification of the state’s U.S. Senate election under circumstances in which Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan loses and votes cast for another candidate with a similar name could have changed the outcome.
The complaint, filed Thursday in federal court in Alaska, argues that the presence of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot could confuse voters intending to support the senator. It asks the court to block certification if the incumbent loses but would have won had votes for Daniel J. Sullivan been assigned to him and processed through Alaska’s ranked-choice system. The department alleges that the other Sullivan entered the race to benefit Democratic nominee Mary Peltola.
President Donald Trump said Friday that he directed the lawsuit to be filed. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the action in television interviews Sunday, saying the department wants to preserve its ability to determine after the election whether voter confusion violated the law.
Peltola called the case an attempt by Sullivan and his Washington allies to keep him in office. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski also said the Justice Department should not have filed it. Alaska’s Division of Elections said it was reviewing the complaint while continuing to run the election and help voters avoid confusion.
Common Cause, represented by American Civil Liberties Union attorneys, has filed a motion to intervene in the case. No court has ruled on the Justice Department’s request.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 48 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 28
- Source articles
- 29
- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 48 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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