Alaska state asks judge to dismiss Trump‑backed lawsuit over Senate ballot

Alaska’s Republican‑run state government has asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit filed at the direction of former President Donald Trump that seeks to halt certification of a possible Democratic win in the state’s U.S. Senate race.

The filing from the attorney general’s office argues there is “no reason for this Court to entertain this meritless lawsuit any longer,” and notes that U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason set a deadline of Saturday for arguments on whether to dismiss the case without a hearing.

The Department of Justice’s complaint alleges that voters may have been confused by a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot, potentially affecting the race between Democrat Mary Peltola and incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. It also requests that ballots showing votes for the second “Daniel J. Sullivan” be separated for review.

Alaska officials describe the request as “both disturbing and impossible,” saying it would breach voter privacy and that the ballot already distinguishes the two candidates – the senator is listed as a Republican incumbent, while the other appears simply as “Daniel J. Sullivan.”

The state urges the court to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, allowing election officials to complete ballot counting and certification without federal interference.

Source: ABC News. Photo: Edmond Dantès / Pexels.