Democrats Move to Dismiss DOJ Suit Seeking to Block Alaska Senate Race Certification

What happened
Attorneys for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee filed a motion in federal court on October 24, 2026, requesting the dismissal of a Department of Justice lawsuit that seeks to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election results.
The Context
* A duplicate ballot name sparked federal action: The Department of Justice filed suit on October 23, 2026, alleging potential voter confusion between incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and another qualified ballot candidate named Dan J. Sullivan Jr. * The challenge arrived inside the two-week window: Federal authorities moved to condition election certification less than 14 days before the November 3 vote, even as early voting was already active under Alaska’s ranked-choice system. * State officials joined the pushback: Alaska election authorities also submitted formal dismissal requests alongside Democratic representatives, leaving the case before U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason without a formal hearing date set.
The Number
— the Cook Political Report’s official rating for the Alaska race, meaning any certification delay directly stalls visibility into which party holds the governing majority in the 100-seat U.S. Senate.
Takeaway
Watch for U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason’s initial ruling, as a fast dismissal will keep the standard post-November 3 certification timeline on track.
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