Federal Court Rejects Trump DOJ Suit to Block Alaska Senate Certification
A federal judge dismissed the Trump DOJ lawsuit challenging Alaska's Senate election certification.
Why it matters: This ruling upholds Alaska's ranked-choice voting election results and restricts DOJ's election challenge attempts, signaling judicial limits on post-election litigation.
- On Nov. 1, 2026, Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the DOJ lacked standing to contest Alaska's Senate election results.
- The lawsuit cited possible voter confusion due to two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot.
- Gleason noted investigating voter intent would violate Alaska's secret ballot protections.
- The DOJ has announced plans to appeal the dismissal.
On November 1, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump. The suit sought to block certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate election results.
The DOJ challenged the election based on concerns about voter confusion tied to Alaska's ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference. The dispute arose because two candidates named Dan Sullivan appeared on the ballot: incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, who qualified through the ranked-choice primary with 2.5% of the vote.
The plaintiffs alleged that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign coordinated to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan to siphon votes away from Senator Sullivan, a claim Peltola has denied. The DOJ sought to investigate voter intent to determine if ballots were improperly influenced.
Judge Gleason ruled the DOJ lacked legal standing to pursue the case and emphasized that ordering a review of voter intent would violate voters’ right to a secret ballot under Alaska law. She wrote that separating ballots for investigation "would clearly violate Alaskans' right to a secret ballot." This decision effectively preserves the integrity of the election certification process amidst ranked-choice complexities.
Following the dismissal, the DOJ announced plans to appeal the ruling, indicating ongoing legal challenges related to the 2026 election cycle.
By the numbers:
- Nov. 1, 2026 — Date Judge Gleason dismissed the DOJ lawsuit
- 2.5% — Vote share of retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan in the ranked-choice primary
- Two — Candidates named Dan Sullivan on Alaska's 2026 Senate ballot
Yes, but: The DOJ's announced appeal means this legal dispute over Alaska's election results is not yet resolved and could continue through higher courts.
What's next: The DOJ's appeal of Judge Gleason's dismissal is expected to proceed in federal appellate courts in the coming months.