# DOJ Seeks Conditional Halt to Alaska Senate Race Certification

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/39701
Published: 2026-10-24T05:58:13.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-24T05:58:13.000Z
Section: Regulation

> The request applies if Dan S. Sullivan loses and a vote-transfer test indicates he would have won under Alaska’s ranked-choice rules.

The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to delay certification of Alaska’s Senate winner only if a vote-transfer test suggests incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan would otherwise have won.

The department filed its case in federal court in Alaska on Oct. 22. Its request would apply if Sullivan loses and the result changes when votes for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. are treated as votes for the incumbent under Alaska’s ranked-choice rules.

The department seeks to block certification while officials investigate whether voters who selected the second Sullivan meant to choose the senator. DOJ argues that the similar names could mislead voters and alleges Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. entered the race to reduce support for the incumbent and benefit Democrat Mary Peltola.

Under Alaska’s ranked-choice system, voters rank candidates. If no candidate receives more than half of active ballots, votes for an eliminated candidate can transfer to voters’ next choices. The Nov. 3 ballot includes both Sullivans, Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes.