Attorneys from the Alaska Department of Law have strongly criticized a lawsuit initiated by the Trump administration that seeks to block the certification of results for the U.S. Senate race, asserting that its demands are “inappropriate and not even possible” under the principles of ballot secrecy upheld by Alaska law. The lawsuit, filed last week by the Justice Department at the direction of President Donald Trump, aims to prevent the certification of election results if Republican incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan narrowly loses.
In a motion submitted on Saturday, the Alaska Department of Law, along with Alaska Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher and state election review boards, requested U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the federal suit. The lawsuit also calls for an investigation into whether votes for Dan J. Sullivan, a retired educator from Petersburg and challenger to Senator Sullivan, were miscast.
Judge Gleason has allowed the case to proceed on an expedited basis, opening the possibility for a ruling before Election Day. Experts have raised concerns regarding the legality of the suit, as well as ongoing criminal investigations initiated by Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy and federal authorities regarding the election.
The 14-page filing from state attorneys rebuts the Justice Department’s request to segregate ballots attributed to Dan J. Sullivan. It highlights that ballot preservation procedures in Alaska require election officials to retain ballots for 22 months regardless of court orders. It emphasizes that determining a voter’s intent between the two candidates named Sullivan is practically impossible without identifying individual ballots, which contradicts the principle of voter anonymity.
According to the state’s filing, “The secret ballot is itself a critical component of the integrity of the electoral process.” The attorneys pointed out that the ongoing federal intervention lacks substantial legal grounding, specifically referencing the National Voter Registration Act, which the Justice Department cited as justification for the lawsuit. They argue that the Department’s argument fails to address the law’s actual provisions effectively.
The Alaska Senate race has garnered significant national interest since it could impact control of the U.S. Senate during the midterm elections. As the race intensifies, Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy has sparked considerable criticism, particularly from national Republican figures.
Governor Dunleavy’s administration supports the Justice Department’s stance, suggesting that if Senator Sullivan loses by a narrow margin, the state might need to investigate the matter further. He did not clarify whether the election results would be certified should challenger Mary Peltola win, amid ongoing investigations into allegations surrounding campaign conduct.
As the election approaches, both the state and federal inquiries continue to unfold, with the results of these legal battles likely to influence not only the outcomes for Alaskan voters but also broader national political dynamics.
