Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit to block Alaska Senate certification

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U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason on Sunday dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election results if Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan loses, ruling that the department lacked legal standing. The suit asked the state to segregate ballots cast for another candidate, teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, whose ballot name and party affiliation matched the incumbent’s, and investigate whether voters were confused. In a 20-page order, Gleason said the government offered no workable plan for investigating those ballots while preserving voter secrecy. She also warned that changing election rules so close to Election Day could confuse voters and said such late-breaking changes are strongly disfavored. The ruling came two days before Alaska’s Nov. 3 election.