Alaska U.S. Senate Election Certification Challenge (DOJ)

An anti-voting lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying a U.S. Senate election if the Trump administration’s preferred candidate loses.

Background 

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Alaska in federal court, seeking to prevent the state from certifying a U.S. Senate election result that it claims could be affected by voter confusion caused by a candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan, who is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. The lawsuit alleges that Daniel J. Sullivan deliberately sought to mislead voters who intended to vote for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and argues that certifying an election result affected by that confusion would violate the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The DOJ asks the court to block the state from certifying “any result that may be impacted by voter confusion…pending an investigation to determine whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant to be cast for Senator Sullivan.” 

Why It Matters

This marks the first attempt by the Trump administration to block certification of a 2026 midterm election result if the administration’s preferred candidate loses.

Latest Update

• Nov. 9, 2026: Common Cause and League of Women Voters of Alaska filed a motion for summary affirmance with the 9th Circuit.
• Nov. 1, 2026: The court granted Alaska and intervenor-defendants’ motion to dismiss. DOJ filed a notice of appeal.
• Oct. 31, 2026: Common Cause and League of Women Voters of Alaska filed their reply in support of their motion to dismiss. The Alaska election boards filed their reply in support of their motion to dismiss. Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC filed their reply in support of their motion to dismiss the amended complaint.
• Oct. 30, 2026: The court granted the motions for expedited consideration of the Motions to Dismiss. DOJ filed a motion for expedited discovery and preliminary injunction. DOJ also filed its opposition to the motions to dismiss. DOJ filed a motion for expedited consideration of its motion for expedited discovery and preliminary injunction. The Alaska election boards filed its opposition to the DOJ’s motion for expedited consideration of motion for preliminary injunction.
• Oct. 29, 2026: DOJ filed its first amended complaint, adding a claim under the Supremacy Clause. DOJ filed its opposition to the motions to dismiss. The Alaska election boards filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint and asked for expedited consideration of their motion to dismiss. Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. Common Cause and League of Women Voters of Alaska also filed a motion to dismiss.
• Oct. 28, 2026: The DOJ withdrew its opposition to the DSCC and Alaskans for Mary’s motion to intervene. The court granted Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC’s motion to intervene. The court also granted the League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause’s motion to intervene.
• Oct. 27, 2026: DOJ filed its opposition to the motions to intervene. The court granted the Alaska election boards’ motion for expedited consideration. The DOJ must respond to the motion to dismiss by Oct. 29 at 7PM ET.
• Oct. 26, 2026: The court granted the DSCC’s motion to expedite consideration and will rule on the pending motions to intervene by 9PM ET on Oct. 28. If the court grants the motions to intervene, then DOJ must file its response to the DSCC’s motion to dismiss by 9PM ET on Oct 29. Alaska’s election board filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and filed a motion for expedited consideration of its motion to dismiss.
• Oct. 25, 2026: Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC filed a proposed motion to dismiss the lawsuit and an emergency motion for expedited consideration of their motions to intervene and to dismiss.
• Oct. 23, 2026: Alaskans for Mary and the DSCC filed a motion to intervene as defendants and filed their proposed answer. Two Alaska voters, the League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause also filed a motion to intervene as defendants.
• Oct. 22, 2026: DOJ filed its complaint.