Federal judge blocks DOJ from halting Alaska Senate vote count
A ruling allows Alaskan officials to certify results even if the Republican incumbent loses, despite an ongoing investigation into the ballot.
By Harper Collins ·
Alaskan voters will have their ballots counted and certified without a federal pause, even if the Republican incumbent loses the Senate race. A federal judge on Sunday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to stop state officials from finalizing the election results.
The Justice Department filed the suit to block certification while it investigates potential confusion caused by two candidates with similar names on the ranked-choice ballot. The government cited the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act to argue it had standing to bring the case. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason, appointed by Barack Obama, ruled that the federal government does not have the legal ability to bring this specific lawsuit.
Gleason determined that a court order pausing the count would likely violate Alaskan voters' right to a secret ballot. She noted that the United States provided no explanation for how it could redress its alleged injury while maintaining ballot secrecy. 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 in an attempt to rig outcomes. The lawsuit was ordered by President Trump, who pointed to the presence of Sen. Dan Sullivan and independent candidate Daniel Sullivan Jr. on the ballot. Sullivan Jr. won the right to run after the Alaska Supreme Court rejected a state-level challenge in June.
Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, called the DOJ's attempt to throw out results before any ballots were counted lawless. She described the move as a reckless waste of taxpayer money aimed at silencing hundreds of thousands of Alaska voters. The Democratic candidate, former Rep. Mary Peltola, has denied any involvement in the recruitment of Sullivan Jr.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state investigation into the race and said certification may be stopped if wrongdoing is found. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman confirmed an ongoing criminal probe by the Justice Department in Anchorage on Oct. 30. Incumbent Sullivan said on Sunday that he will accept the election results regardless of the outcome.
More than 86,700 Alaskans have already cast ballots during early voting. The state expects more residents to vote before Election Day on Tuesday.
