TL/DR –
A Superior Court judge ruled that the Alaska Division of Elections was incorrect in disqualifying Petersburg retiree Dan Sullivan from running against incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan. The judge said the decision was based on an unestablished “good faith” criteria that is neither part of the Constitution or state law. It was also noted that there wasn’t enough evidence to support the claim that Mr. Sullivan intended to confuse or misguide voters.
Alaska Court Overrules Decision to Disqualify Senate Challenger Dan Sullivan
A Superior Court judge has declared the Alaska Division of Elections’ disqualification of Senate candidate Dan Sullivan, a Petersburg retiree, incorrect. Judge Thomas Matthews dismissed the decision to remove Sullivan from the race, stating it was based on an unprecedented ‘good-faith’ criteria not covered in the Constitution or state law.
Matthews noted, “The Director’s claim that Sullivan intends to mislead voters lacks substantial evidence.” He added that the Division hastily accepted the complaints lodged against Sullivan, failing to consider his statements. Read the full 32-page decision here.
This case could be swiftly escalated to the Alaska Supreme Court as the Division of Elections plans to commence ballot printing from noon Tuesday.
Sharing his first and last names with the incumbent senator, Dan S. Sullivan, the challenger Sullivan revealed he’s running due to dissatisfaction with the incumbent’s actions.
The Alaska Republican Party and the National Republican Senatorial Committee lodged complaints against Petersburg Sullivan, hence his dismissal from the ballot. Concerns were raised about his decision to register as a Republican, the similarity between his and Sen. Sullivan’s campaign websites, and his hiring of a Democrat-associated consultant.
The controversy underscores the importance of the Alaska Senate race in the Republican Party’s quest to retain their Senate majority.
Sen. Sullivan and the Republican Party allege that national Democratic leaders have manipulated the situation to favor Democrat Mary Peltola; however, Peltola and the Democratic Party vehemently deny these accusations.
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