The nonprofit watchdog group Common Cause and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a motion on Saturday, October 24, 2026, to intervene in a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit involving Alaska’s U.S. Senate election. The groups are seeking to prevent the federal government from blocking the certification of the state's election results.
The DOJ filed its lawsuit on Thursday, October 22, 2026, alleging that the presence of a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr. on the ballot could mislead voters. The DOJ requested that the court indefinitely block certification of the results if the incumbent loses, pending an investigation into voter intent. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the department is not trying to stop certification but seeks to ensure ballots are preserved so officials can determine if voters were confused.
Common Cause and the ACLU argue that the DOJ lacks the authority to interfere in state-run elections and that the lawsuit is "baseless." The motion to intervene was filed on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Alaska and two individual Alaska voters, Risé Roy and Jan Jakub Grzeda. The groups' filing states that the relief sought by the federal government risks disenfranchising Alaskans by potentially nullifying their votes.
The dispute stems from a ballot that features two candidates with similar names: incumbent "Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican)" and "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." The ballot identifies the incumbent as the "Incumbent." Earlier this year, the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that the second Sullivan could remain on the ballot, finding no statutory authority to exclude him.
The proposed intervenors have also filed a motion to dismiss the DOJ's complaint, calling it a "frivolous, election-eve lawsuit." The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. Under Alaska law, the state ballot counting review must begin no later than 16 days after the election.