NewsWSVN 7 MiamiNovember 1, 2026Miami-Dade County
Federal Judge Dismisses Justice Department Lawsuit Seeking to Block Alaska Senate Race Certification
Photo: WSVN 7 Miami
A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit that sought to block the certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate race over a second candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent. The judge ruled that the requested relief was infeasible because early ballots had already been cast and mixed together, making ballot segregation and investigation impossible without violating voter privacy.
Read the full story at WSVN 7 MiamiWhy It Matters
The ruling clears the way for the certification of Alaska's high-stakes Senate race outcome following the , keeping state election administration free from late federal intervention.
Key Facts
- A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit aiming to block certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate race.
- The lawsuit sought an investigation into whether votes for retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan were intended for incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.
- The judge ruled the requested relief was infeasible because early ballots had already been cast and mixed together beyond the point of matching to specific voters.
- The court cited the Purcell principle, which holds that federal courts should generally not alter election rules too close to an election.
- State courts previously rejected Republican-backed efforts to remove Dan J. Sullivan from the primary ballot.
- The Justice Department escalated a separate criminal investigation into the same-named candidates by issuing grand jury subpoenas.
- The FBI has contacted donors who contributed to Dan J. Sullivan as part of the investigation into potential voter confusion.
Who's Mentioned
PersonMargaret Paton Walsh“Attorney for the state”OrganizationDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee“Involved in legal arguments opposing the lawsuit”OrganizationFBI“Contacting donors regarding campaign contributions”PersonMary Peltola“Democratic former U.S. Representative and Senate candidate”PersonRachel Witty“Attorney for the state”PersonLaura Fox“Attorney for the state”OrganizationAlaska Supreme Court“Rejected efforts to block the retired teacher from the primary ballot”PersonDan J. Sullivan“Retired teacher and candidate sharing a similar name on the ballot”PersonDonald Trump“President of the United States”PersonBarack Obama“Former President who appointed Judge Gleason”OrganizationThe Associated Press“Reported on grand jury subpoenas and FBI contact”PersonDan Sullivan“Republican incumbent U.S. Senator for Alaska”OrganizationAlaska Department of Law“Represented state elections officials in the case”PersonSharon Gleason“U.S. District Court Judge”OrganizationThe New York Times“Reported on Peltola campaign's alleged involvement in candidate recruitment”