The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race results if the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, loses, citing potential voter confusion due to the presence of a second candidate with a similar name. The lawsuit contends that retired schoolteacher Daniel J. Sullivan, who shares the same surname and is listed on the ballot alongside the incumbent, was placed deliberately to siphon votes away from Sen. Sullivan.
Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the lawsuit on Sunday, emphasizing the Justice Department’s intention to protect the integrity of the election and ensure proper handling of ballots. Blanche stated that the lawsuit addresses concerns raised by Alaska’s election director, who determined that the second Dan Sullivan is not a bona fide candidate but rather is on the ballot to mislead voters. “We’re not saying that the federal government is going to decide who the next senator from Alaska is,” Blanche added, explaining that the suit is intended to allow for investigation if confusion affects the election outcome.
The second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, a 69-year-old retired teacher, registered for the race as an unaffiliated candidate after previously supporting Democratic candidates and changing his registration between primary and general elections. The lawsuit also notes that this candidate’s campaign website resembles that of the incumbent’s in format and color scheme, potentially adding to voter confusion. Alaska’s Division of Elections director Carol Beecher previously ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan did not demonstrate a “good-faith candidacy” and was instead attempting to confuse voters.
The lawsuit requests a court order preventing Alaska from certifying the election results pending investigation into whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were intended for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, citing the National Voter Registration Act’s role in safeguarding electoral integrity. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that he directed the Justice Department to file the suit.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski criticized the litigation, asserting that Alaska voters do not require federal intervention and pointing out that the ballots already clearly identify each candidate’s middle initial, party affiliation, and the incumbent’s status. “Alaskans don’t need any help voting for their preferred candidates,” Murkowski said.
Meanwhile, the campaign of Democratic challenger Mary Peltola condemned the lawsuit as a politically motivated effort to suppress votes. Peltola’s spokesperson described it as a “despicable political threat” orchestrated by Senator Sullivan’s allies and affirmed the campaign’s commitment to protecting voters’ rights. The challenger has held a lead over Sullivan in multiple polls.
Election law experts have expressed skepticism about the lawsuit’s merits. Derek Muller, a Notre Dame Law School professor, called the Justice Department’s legal argument “one of the worst ones I’ve ever seen,” suggesting that the filing was more a public relations move than a strong legal case.
The Alaska Division of Elections had previously allowed Daniel J. Sullivan to remain on the ballot after a judicial review was requested, with the state Supreme Court summarily approving the decision. Efforts to obtain additional comment from the division on the lawsuit were not successful. The general election is scheduled for November 3.