Alaska state senator who won a ballot dispute over a name confusion with Dan S. Sullivan; current Republican incumbent facing re-election.
Alaska’s elections director has ruled that Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy for U.S. Senate is not filed in good faith, disqualifying the challenger who shares a name with incumbent Dan S. Sullivan. The decision comes amid a top-four primary and ranked-choice general, with Mary Peltola remaining a major challenger. The challenge and subsequent ruling face appeals and ongoing scrutiny over ballot fairness.
The Alaska Supreme Court has allowed Dan J. Sullivan, the challenger with the same name as U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, to appear on the Republican ballot. The ruling reverses a lower decision that had disqualified him, and it directs ballot design to differentiate candidates within existing law. The case has energized both campaigns in a tight primary race.