Judge blocks federal bid to halt Alaska Senate vote

More than 86,700 Alaskan voters have cast ballots in the state's upcoming Senate race, according to the Alaska Division of Elections. This number is notable because a federal judge ruled on Sunday that the United States government cannot block the certification of those results if the Republican incumbent loses.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason issued the ruling, which dismisses a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration. The Justice Department sought to stop state officials from certifying the election outcome. The government argued that voters might have been confused by two candidates with similar names on the ranked-choice ballot. Judge Gleason found that the federal government did not have the legal standing to bring the suit. She noted that the case relied on the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act.

The court also concluded that a federal order halting certification would likely violate the right to a secret ballot. Gleason, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote that the government failed to explain how its requested fix would work while keeping ballots secret. The absence of an explanation regarding the secret ballot process was a key part of her decision.

The Justice Department plans to appeal the decision. Kiersten Pels, a department spokesperson, stated that Alaskan voters deserve a fair election rather than being misled. She said the goal was to prevent an attempt to rig outcomes. Voting rights groups, including the ACLU, welcomed the ruling. Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, called the lawsuit lawless. She described it as a reckless use of taxpayer money that aimed to silence hundreds of thousands of voters.

President Donald Trump said he ordered the lawsuit because two candidates on the ballot share a similar name. The candidates are Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and Daniel Sullivan Jr., an independent. Alaska’s Republican Party had previously tried to keep Sullivan Jr. off the ballot in state court. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that Sullivan Jr. had the right to run.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the race. He indicated on Oct. 30 that certification might stop or change if wrongdoing is found. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman announced at a press conference in Anchorage on Oct. 30 that the Justice Department has an ongoing criminal probe. Former Representative Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate, denied any involvement in recruiting the independent candidate.

Senator Dan Sullivan said in an interview on Sunday that he would accept the election results regardless of the outcome. Voting continues through Election Day on Tuesday. The state expects more voters to participate as the election concludes.