Judge rejects Trump administration’s bid to segregate Alaska Senate ballots
A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s bid to require Alaska to set aside ballots in its Senate election if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lost to Democrat Mary Peltola. The ruling means the requested measure will not be in place for Tuesday’s vote, and the judge said the government had not shown how ballots could be separated without compromising voter privacy.
The Justice Department argued that a second candidate, Daniel J Sullivan, could confuse voters because his name closely resembles the incumbent’s, and it is appealing the decision. Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the administration lacked standing and said further changes to the case would be futile and burdensome so close to the election. The race was rated a toss-up, and its result could affect the balance of power in the Senate.
In short
- Judge rejects bid to segregate Alaska Senate ballots.
- The Justice Department is appealing the ruling.
- The closely watched race could affect Senate control.
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The case for
The Justice Department’s strongest case is that two candidates with very similar names could confuse some voters, potentially affecting a close, consequential Senate race. Seeking to set aside ballots temporarily could be seen as a precaution to preserve the ability to review whether that confusion materially affected the result, rather than to discard votes.
The case against
The state and those opposing the request can argue that voters’ choices should be counted under the established process, and that selectively segregating ballots risks undermining confidence and voter privacy. With the election imminent, the judge found the government had not shown how separation could protect privacy, lacked standing, and would impose a burdensome change without a clear legal basis.
Explained simply
Alaska elects one US senator in a statewide vote. Dan Sullivan, a Republican, is the incumbent; Mary Peltola, a Democrat, is also running. A candidate named Daniel J Sullivan is on the ballot too, and the Justice Department said voters might mistake his name for the incumbent’s.
The federal government can bring legal cases about election rules, while Alaska runs its own elections and counts ballots. The dispute matters because the race could help determine which party controls the Senate, where each state has two senators.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Massive blow for Trump as judge throws out his bid to block Alaska Senate results if Dan Sullivan loses”.