Judge Dismisses Justice Department Suit Over Alaska Senate Race

A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit on Sunday that sought to block certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate results if Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. In a ruling released Sunday, Nov. 1, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason found that the federal government does not have the ability to bring the lawsuit against Alaska, according to NPR.

Certification is the official step of confirming election results. The lawsuit sought to segregate ballots and delay that step, according to CNN. Justice Department attorneys had cited the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act, a federal law on voter registration, as the basis for the case. The attorneys are expected to appeal the dismissal.

Gleason was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama.

President Trump said he ordered the lawsuit because Alaska's ballot includes two similarly named Senate candidates: Sen. Dan Sullivan and Daniel Sullivan Jr., who is unaffiliated with a political party. The Senate ballot lists four candidates in total. In June 2026, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that Daniel Sullivan Jr. has the right to run, rejecting an effort backed by the Alaska Republican Party to keep him off the ballot.

Democratic candidate and former Rep. Mary Peltola asked the judge in October to throw out the federal lawsuit, according to Reuters. Peltola has denied any involvement in recruiting Daniel Sullivan Jr., according to NPR.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a state investigation into the Senate race. He said certification could be stopped or changed if wrongdoing is found. On Friday, U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told a press conference in Anchorage that the Justice Department has an ongoing criminal investigation.

The Justice Department has also issued more than 40 subpoenas and document requests, which are legal demands for records, in connection with the Alaska election, according to Reuters.