Justice Department sues over Alaska’s two Sullivan candidates

The Justice Department has sued over Alaska’s U.S. Senate ballot, arguing that the presence of two candidates with similar names could confuse voters and seeking action if incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan loses because votes intended for him went to Daniel J. Sullivan. The lawsuit’s requested remedy is disputed: Attorney General Todd Blanche says it seeks an investigation, not a halt to certification, while another account describes a request to block certification if confusion affects the result. The complaint, filed October 22 in federal court in Alaska, alleges violations of the National Voter Registration Act tied to Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy. According to the department’s account, if the incumbent loses but would have won had votes for Daniel J. Sullivan been counted for him, the department would ask for an investigation into whether voters were confused. Blanche said the litigation is intended to preserve ballots so Alaska officials can assess that question, and that it does not seek to stop ballots from being cast or the election from being certified. The complaint’s formal request for relief is not described consistently in the accounts of the case. One describes the...