Judge Throws Out DOJ Lawsuit Over Alaska Senate Ballot Confusion
Federal judge rejects DOJ's bid to halt Alaska Senate certification amid 'Decoy Dan' confusion, keeping votes counted and preserving potential Democratic gain.
POLICY WIRE — Anchorage, Alaska — An Obama‑appointed federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s effort to pause certification of Alaska’s Senate election, a move that hinged on the possibility that votes for a similarly named challenger could have tipped the result.
The lawsuit, filed by the Trump administration, argued that ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.—dubbed “Decoy Dan”—might have confused voters and altered the outcome if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan were to lose.
By dismissing the case on Sunday, the judge ensured that all votes, including those for the challenger, will be counted even as a criminal investigation into the decoy candidacy proceeds.
The decision removes a last‑minute legal obstacle that could have delayed the final tally in a race viewed as pivotal for control of the U.S. Senate.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
