Alaska urges dismissal of Trump lawsuit over Senate race ballots

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 23:20 · Archive

Alaska's government has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed at Trump's direction challenging the certification of votes in the state's Senate race.

Alaska's Republican-run state government has urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed at President Donald Trump's direction challenging the certification of votes in the state's Senate race. The state's attorney general's office said there was 'no reason for this Court to entertain this meritless lawsuit any longer' in a filing submitted to U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason on Saturday.

The complaint from the U.S. Department of Justice demands that the judge halt certification of a possible win by Democrat Mary Peltola until it is determined whether voters were confused by a second candidate on the ballot with the same name as her main rival, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The Department of Justice also asked that ballots showing votes for the second Dan Sullivan be separated.

Alaska's filing responded that this request was 'both disturbing and impossible', adding there would be no way to separate the ballots without violating voter privacy. The state noted that the two Sullivans are already distinguished on the ballot—the senator is listed as a Republican incumbent, while the other is simply listed as 'Daniel J. Sullivan'. Trump has also demanded that Peltola be prosecuted, following reports that internal Democratic campaign texts and posts suggest the party was involved in recruiting the second Sullivan onto the ballot.

How it is being reported

• Attorneys for Alaska say ‘meritless’ Trump demand to set aside Senate ballots ‘not even possible’ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska’s Republican-run state government on Saturday urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed at President Donald Trump’s direction to stop the certification of a possible Democratic win in that state’s pivotal U.S. Senate race, writing that there is “no reason for this Court to entertain this meritless lawsuit any longer.”TribLIVE · 31 Oct, 20:29
• Attorneys for Alaska say 'meritless' Trump demand to set aside Senate ballots 'not even possible'Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · 31 Oct, 20:04

In this story: Trump · Alaska · Mary Peltola · Dan Sullivan · Sharon L. Gleason · U.S. Department of Justice

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log