The state that runs Alaska’s elections is now pushing back against the federal government in court.
Alaska officials asked a federal judge on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, to throw out a Trump administration lawsuit that seeks to challenge in advance the results of the state’s U.S. Senate race.
What are Alaska officials arguing?
In a motion to dismiss, two assistant attorneys general representing Alaska officials wrote that the United States has no authority to intervene in state elections at all, much less to help a favored candidate.
They urged the court to follow a longstanding principle that lower federal courts should not change a state’s election rules on the eve of an election.
That principle stems from a 2006 Supreme Court decision and has often been used to discourage court orders issued close to Election Day. Alaska officials argue it applies here.
What does the Justice Department want?
The department sued Alaska Oct. 22, arguing that independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, is running only to confuse voters and draw support away from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, making it easier for Democrat Mary Peltola to win. Daniel J. Sullivan was registered as a Republican as recently as July and is now undeclared. Alaska courts ruled earlier this year that he could appear on the ballot.
It argues that certifying results with Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot would violate federal law requiring states to protect the integrity of the election process.
The suit asks the court to block certification if the senator loses and would have won had the votes cast for the other Sullivan been added to his total. Legal experts have said no federal law gives the department power to delay a state’s certification.
Why is the state’s response notable?
Alaska officials defending the state’s election process work for an administration led by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Their motion puts the state at odds with a Republican Justice Department in a race involving a Republican incumbent.
Alaska officials are not alone among Republicans in opposing the suit. Alaska’s other Republican senator has also said the department never should have filed it.
Who else opposes the lawsuit?
Peltola and Senate Democrats asked the judge last week to dismiss the case, calling the assumption that every vote for Daniel J. Sullivan was meant for the senator insulting to voters.
They noted that the ballot labels the senator as the incumbent and a registered Republican and that Alaska voters rank candidates by preference. In the primary, the senator received 68,726 votes, compared with 4,107 for Daniel J. Sullivan.
Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the suit, saying the government is not trying to pick Alaska’s next senator but wants a court to address any confusion that leads to an unjust result. President Donald Trump has said he directed the department to sue. Trump has argued the second candidate was placed on the ballot to confuse voters but has not offered evidence.
What happens next in the case?
A federal judge will decide whether to dismiss the lawsuit. Early voting is already underway, and Election Day is Nov. 3. Alaska officials typically take weeks to finalize results because of absentee ballots and the ranking process.
Polls have shown Peltola with a small lead in a race that could help decide control of the Senate. Peltola is also recovering from minor injuries she suffered in a car crash over the weekend, which forced her to reschedule campaign events.
Alaska officials argue that elections belong to the states, not the federal government. The judge’s decision could come before ballots are counted.
