Federal Judge Blocks Trump Bid to Pause Alaska Senate Certification

U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the federal government cannot halt the certification of Alaska’s Senate election results. The decision dismisses a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration seeking to block state officials from finalizing the count if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses the race.

The Justice Department argued that two candidates with similar names on the ranked-choice ballot, incumbent Dan Sullivan and nonpartisan Daniel Sullivan Jr., created voter confusion. The federal team asked the court to issue an order stopping certification to allow for a deeper investigation into those allegations.

Judge Gleason, a nominee of former President Barack Obama, determined the government lacked the legal capacity to bring the suit. She wrote that the requested court order would likely violate Alaskan voters' constitutional right to a secret ballot. Gleason noted the absence of any explanation from the United States on how its relief could redress its alleged injury while maintaining ballot secrecy.

Voting rights groups reacted positively to the ruling. Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project, stated in a statement that the Department of Justice’s attempt to throw out results before a single ballot was counted was lawless from the start. She called the move a reckless waste of taxpayer money aimed at silencing hundreds of thousands of Alaska voters.

President Trump said he ordered the lawsuit because of the similar names on the ballot. Alaska’s Republican Party had previously supported an effort in state court to keep Daniel Sullivan Jr. off the ballot. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the non-incumbent has the right to run as a candidate. Republican allegations that Democrats propped up Sullivan Jr. to spoil the incumbent's chances have hung over the closely watched contest.

A New York Times report about Democratic campaign operatives recruiting Sullivan Jr. drew new attention to the dispute, though NPR has not independently confirmed the report. Alaska’s Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the matter. He indicated on Oct. 30 that the results of the race may not be certified by the state depending on how that investigation turns out. Dunleavy told NewsNation, “If we find out there’s wrongdoing, and if that means that the certification then is stopped or changed, then that’s what happens.”

At an Oct. 30 press conference in Anchorage, U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said there is an ongoing criminal probe by the Justice Department. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola has denied any involvement. Incumbent Sullivan said in a Sunday interview with CNN that he would accept the election results, win or lose. Over 86,700 voters have cast ballots during early voting, according to Alaska’s Division of Elections, with voting continuing through Tuesday’s Election Day.