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Reason

Magazine | United States | Centre-Right

Libertarian magazine covering politics, culture, and ideas with a focus on free markets and individual liberty.

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What should be done if people question the fairness of election results in Alaska?

The Trump administration sued Alaska on Thursday to block certification of election results if incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. Why it matters: The race between incumbent Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola, and retired teacher Dan Sullivan has been marked by controversy, with Republicans accusing Democrats of trying to confuse voters by planting a candidate with the same name. Alaska's use of ranked-choice voting complicates matters, eliminating candidates in rounds if no one gets 50% of the initial vote. "An election result may be impacted by voter confusion if: (1) Senator Sullivan does not win the election; and (2) had all votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan been cast instead for Senator Sullivan and Alaska's rank-choice process played out accordingly, Senator Sullivan would have won the election," the lawsuit, filed in Alaska District Court, states. The intrigue: The race is among those being closely watched as Democrats appear to be making inroads in red territory. The administration acknowledged the tight race in its lawsuit, saying "there is a realistic chance" that the non-incumbent Sullivan's presence on the ballot could tip the scales for Peltola. Catch up quick: The retired teacher Sullivan, also running as a Republican, will appear on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. after the state's Supreme Court ordered the state's Division of Elections to include him in the race in June. The Division of Elections, whose director is named as a defendant in the government's suit, previously rejected his candidacy, concluding he was running to confuse voters.But that Sullivan has argued his candidacy is not a sham, and Peltola's campaign has denied any involvement with his run. Go deeper: Scoop: NRSC pleads for $9M to defend three red seats

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