Trump administration sues to block certification of upcoming Alaska election
The justice department has filed a lawsuit arguing that the inclusion of two candidates named Dan Sullivan could confuse voters.
Trump administration sues to block certification of upcoming Alaska election
Senator Dan Sullivan, at right, is locked in a close contest with Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.
The Trump administration is seeking to prevent certification of the Alaska Senate race if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is defeated, saying that another candidate with the same name could mislead voters.
In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, the Justice Department argued that having a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot could cause some voters to accidentally choose the wrong candidate.
Polls indicate the race between Sen. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola is close, with Peltola holding a slim advantage.
The government is asking a judge to stop the state from certifying the results if Sen. Sullivan loses by a smaller margin than the other Sullivan.
Earlier attempts to remove the other Sullivan, a retired teacher, from the ballot were turned down by the Alaska Supreme Court.
The senator will appear as the Republican incumbent, and Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system allows voters to choose both if they are uncertain at the ballot box.