The U.S. Senate campaign of Democrat Mary Peltola is among those asking a federal judge to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit that seeks to block election results if she wins.
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The lawsuit, which President Donald Trump said he personally ordered, seeks to prevent the state from certifying election results if the incumbent Republican, Sen. Dan Sullivan, narrowly loses, pending an investigation to determine if voters were confused by the other Dan Sullivan on the ballot.
“Alaskans, apparently, must elect Senator Dan S. Sullivan or the President will not let them elect anyone at all,” attorneys for Peltola and the Democratic Party’s national senatorial campaign committee wrote in a motion to intervene that was filed in U.S. District Court in Anchorage Friday night.
The only law the Department of Justice relies on “for its extreme demands is the NVRA, a statute that exclusively regulates voter registration,” the Peltola attorneys wrote, referring to the National Voter Registration Act. “Nothing in the NVRA regulates which candidates are listed on ballots or how they are displayed.”
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Alaska, League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause, a nonpartisan watchdog, are also seeking to join the lawsuit.
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Pelotla told reporters Friday the administration’s lawsuit is an attempt at election interference.
“I think this is a perfect example, 11 days out from the election, of corruption. And desperation, honestly,” she said. “And a complete lack of respect for Alaskans and their vote.”
The ballot lists Sen. Sullivan as “Sullivan, Dan S.” It also says he’s the incumbent and a registered Republican. The other Sullivan, a retired teacher in Petersburg, is listed as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.” with no party affiliation.
The senator’s campaign said Friday that Alaskans can tell the difference between the two. Still, a campaign spokesman said “we’ll let the DOJ complaint run its course.”
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Early voting began Monday.