A federal court in Alaska has dismissed the Donald Trump administration's lawsuit seeking to block the certification of the U.S. Senate election results if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. The decision was made Sunday by federal judge Sharon Gleason, just two days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit sought to block the certification of the result if the difference between the candidates was affected by votes cast for another candidate named Dan J. Sullivan, who is running against Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The Trump administration argued that the similarity of names could create confusion among voters and affect the outcome of the race.
However, Judge Gleason found the government's request to be impractical. Some of the ballots cast in advance had already been mixed up and could not be identified without compromising the secrecy of the vote. The court also noted that the administration had not presented a concrete plan for how the ballots could be separated and investigated without compromising the privacy of voters.
The case has also received particular attention because of Trump's direct intervention. The US president has stated that he was the one who ordered the Justice Department to file the lawsuit, seeking to discertify a potential victory for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola if votes for a candidate with a similar name could have influenced the outcome. Peltola and her campaign have denied involvement in Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy.
The Alaska race is considered crucial for control of the U.S. Senate, where Republicans are seeking to retain their majority. The dismissal of the lawsuit is a setback for the Trump administration's attempt to interfere with the election certification process, a power that the U.S. Constitution grants to state authorities. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is pursuing a separate investigation into the circumstances surrounding Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy.
