Judge dismisses DOJ bid to block Alaska Senate certification

U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate election if incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, rejecting the federal government’s request to intervene in the state’s vote. Her November 1 ruling said the department had not shown how it could investigate ballots while preserving voter secrecy, particularly after ballots already cast had been commingled. The department had asked the court to prevent Alaska from certifying the result under certain conditions and to allow an investigation into whether voters who selected Daniel J. Sullivan, a second candidate with a similar name, had intended to vote for the incumbent. Gleason said the government offered no workable method for separating ballots or determining voter intent without compromising the secret ballot. She also cited the difficulty of addressing ballots already cast. The case centered on allegations that the second Sullivan’s candidacy could confuse voters and affect the contest. Reports about the alleged recruitment of Daniel J. Sullivan by people linked to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola have been disputed. Peltola and her campaign denied...