US Justice Department files new lawsuit to block Alaska Senate results

The United States Department of Justice has filed a revised lawsuit seeking to decertify the results of Alaska’s Senate race if incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan loses narrowly.

The amended complaint, filed on Thursday, alleges that Democratic operatives recruited a rival candidate, retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan Jr., to confuse voters by placing a name identical to the incumbent on the ballot. The claim is based on a New York Times report that members of Democratic challenger Mary Peltola’s campaign helped secure the spoiler candidacy.

The Justice Department’s filing includes 40 subpoenas and document‑preservation requests, and it asks a federal court to bar Alaska from certifying its election results should Sullivan be defeated. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has also ordered a criminal investigation into the allegations.

Alaska’s Supreme Court previously ruled that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. could appear on the ballot, and state election officials have taken steps to reduce voter confusion. Legal experts note that “ballot stacking” is generally legal in Alaska, and question the federal government’s authority to intervene in state‑run elections.

The lawsuit arrives days before the November 3 midterm election, one of seven key toss‑ups that could determine whether Republicans retain their slim majority in the US Senate.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Element5 Digital / Pexels.