Why It Matters
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to separate certain ballots and delay certification of Alaska’s 2026 Senate race.
What Happened
Gleason ruled that the federal government lacked standing to require Alaska to segregate ballots associated with Daniel J. Sullivan, a spoiler candidate whose name appears alongside Sen. Dan S. Sullivan’s on the ballot.
She also ruled that separating those ballots would violate voters’ right to cast a secret ballot. Gleason said imposing a major election change on the eve of voting came too late.
The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal Sunday. The department had argued that Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy warranted an investigation if Sen. Sullivan lost to Democrat Mary Peltola.
Election administrators placed identifiers on the ballot to distinguish the two candidates. State court litigation over Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy had settled several months ago.
By the Numbers
- Two: Candidates named Sullivan appear on the Alaska ballot.
- 2026: The year of the midterm elections.
- 20,000: Ballots the administration claimed could be cast by noncitizens.
- Sunday: Gleason dismissed the lawsuit, and the Justice Department filed its appeal notice.
Zoom Out
The Alaska case is part of a broader series of disputes over federal demands involving election administration. On Friday, a federal appeals court rejected a Justice Department demand concerning California ballots.
Late Friday, U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued an emergency order restricting the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security from demanding ballot segregation, voter-roll purges, or halted ballot processing. Thompson also ruled that the Trump administration could not threaten, intimidate, or coerce election officials over changes to ballot processing. The Justice Department appealed that ruling.
Alaska officials, Democratic groups, and nonpartisan voter advocacy organizations opposed the Alaska lawsuit. Alaska’s Republican governor ordered an investigation into alleged Democratic efforts involving Daniel J. Sullivan’s ballot placement and suggested certification could face opposition depending on the investigation’s results.
What’s Next
The Justice Department’s appeal will continue after Gleason’s dismissal. The Alaska Senate contest remains between Peltola and Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, while the governor’s position on certification remains tied to the investigation’s results.
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