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

    Section editor: ·Moderate5 articles covering this·5 news sources·Updated 3 hours ago·World
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    Federal court building entrance representing the legal battle over 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

    Toss-up

    — 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.

    5 Articles
    The Hill

    Peltola asks judge to dismiss DOJ certification lawsuit

    Mary Peltola, Alaska's Democratic Senate nominee, asked a federal judge to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit over her state's Senate election, a case the court moved quickly to expedite. The DOJ filed suit last week, arguing that a candidate sh...

    17 hours ago
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    HuffPost

    Alaska Democratic Senate Candidate Peltola Asks Judge To Toss U.S. Lawsuit Over Certification

    Lawyers for Alaska Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola asked a federal judge to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit that seeks to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. Peltola's campaig...

    Forbes

    Peltola Seeks Emergency Ruling To Dismiss Trump's Alaska Election Lawsuit Before Midterms

    The Trump administration has asked a judge to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election results if Democrat Mary Peltola narrowly wins, citing confusion caused by two candidates named Dan Sullivan. In response, Peltola has sought an emergency ...

    Fortune

    With Senate control at stake, attorney general defends Trump’s lawsuit to block certification of Alaska race if the GOP candidate loses

    The Justice Department's attorney general defended a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump seeking to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if the Republican candidate loses, a move that comes as control of the Senate hangs in the balance. Democratic...

    NBC News

    Democrats ask judge to dismiss Trump administration’s challenge to Alaska Senate race

    The U.S. Justice Department sued Alaska election officials seeking to block the state from certifying its Senate election results if Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses, and Democrats have asked a judge to dismiss the Trump administration's challen...