The Alaska Supreme Court ruled Monday that a man sharing the name and party affiliation of U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is eligible to run for the Senate seat and must be included on the August primary ballot. The ruling came hours after oral arguments and days after a state judge found the Division of Elections had abused its discretion by removing the challenger.
The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision but returned the issue of how the challenger’s name will appear on the ballot to the division, adhering to existing ballot design laws. A full opinion is expected later.
Previously, Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher had determined the challenger’s candidacy was not filed in good faith and was intended to confuse voters. However, state court Judge Thomas Matthews stated that Beecher’s decision was not based on the constitutional requirements for serving in the Senate—age, citizenship, and residency—or on relevant state laws and regulations.
The dispute began when the challenger filed his candidacy approximately one month ago. The presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan has become a focal point in one of the nation's closely watched U.S. Senate races, potentially impacting control of the chamber. Senator Sullivan and his allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, had accused the challenger of being a sham candidate aiming to disrupt the election. This led Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who oversees elections, to investigate the challenger’s candidacy.