Trump administration sues Alaska over Senate race, citing voter confusion
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's 2026 Senate election if incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that a similarly named independent candidate could mislead voters.
The U.S. Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, has filed a lawsuit to prevent Alaska from certifying its 2026 U.S. Senate results unless incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan wins re-election. The filing claims that the presence of an independent candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan could cause voter confusion and therefore requests an inquest into voter intent if Sullivan is defeated.
The campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, who could tip the Senate balance, described the suit as baseless and an unprecedented attempt to interfere with a state election. The filing argues that the lawsuit would effectively nullify Alaska's election results and disenfranchise voters.
Legal scholars note that the Constitution assigns the authority to conduct federal elections to the states, with Congress holding limited power to intervene. Former federal judge John E. Jones, speaking to The Conversation, said, "The Constitution is clear. Unless amended, Article 1, Section 4 is – to use the trite phrase – what it is. The power rests with the states, absent congressional action. There is no mention of the president. None."
Jones added that the framers deliberately left election administration to the states because they possessed the necessary experience and to guard against centralized, politically motivated control. Similar constitutional challenges have arisen this year, including a House-passed SAVE America Act that would have required in-person proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, a measure scholars say exceeds congressional authority.
The Justice Department’s broader effort to reshape election administration also includes a March 2026 executive order directing the Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security to impose uniform mail-ballot requirements. The order was blocked by a 7-2 Supreme Court decision in September, with the Court reaffirming that the president lacks unilateral power to alter voting methods for federal elections.