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government policy
Federal court tosses Trump lawsuit challenging Alaska Senate certification
A federal judge dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit that sought to block Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola from taking office based on allegations that she recruited an independent candidate sharing a name with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan to confuse voters. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled that the federal government lacked standing and constitutional authority to intervene, and that there was no legal way to remedy the alleged harm without violating ballot secrecy. Alaska's ranked-choice voting system and prior state court rulings that reinstated the independent candidate's ballot access made the government's requested relief unworkable.
Why it matters: Election officials and state governments should note that federal courts have declined to grant executive branch intervention in state election administration, even when voter confusion is alleged, and that ballot secrecy protections limit the remedies available in post-election challenges.
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