Judge dismisses DOJ suit aimed at delaying Alaska Senate certification
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason threw out the Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to segregate ballots and delay certification of Alaska's Senate race. The DOJ said it would appeal. The race pits Sen. Dan S. Sullivan against Democrat Mary Peltola and independent Daniel J. Sullivan.
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The ruling
Gleason ruled Sunday that the federal government lacked a workable way to segregate ballots cast for independent Daniel J. Sullivan without violating Alaska's secret ballot, and that late changes to election rules are strongly disfavored, Straight Arrow News and the Associated Press reported. "Those cast ballots have been commingled and cannot now be segregated," she wrote, according to SAN.
The DOJ had asked the court to preserve and segregate ballots ranking Daniel J. Sullivan, citing an investigation into whether Democrats recruited a same-name candidate to confuse voters. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting. Peltola and Daniel J. Sullivan have denied Democratic recruitment schemes; Alaska's Supreme Court earlier allowed his candidacy.
The appeal
A Justice Department spokesperson said the administration will appeal and that the court dismissed the case on procedural grounds, according to MS NOW and Newsweek. NBC News and Washington Examiner likewise covered the dismissal of the bid to delay certification.
What the right is saying
Right-leaning outlets framed the suit as protecting voters from a spoiler scheme and highlighted the DOJ appeal, including Breitbart and Washington Examiner.
What the left is saying
Center and left-leaning outlets cast the ruling as blocking late federal intervention in a state count and stressed voter secrecy, including Straight Arrow News and NBC News.
Why it matters
A federal judge blocked the DOJ from forcing Alaska to set aside Senate ballots on the eve of an election that could help decide control of the chamber, and the administration is already appealing.