Alaska Officials Disqualify Challenger Named Dan Sullivan; Lawsuit Seeks to Restore Him to Ballot

A man sharing the name and party affiliation of Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan filed a lawsuit Monday challenging his disqualification from the August primary ballot. The filing by attorneys Jeffrey Robinson, Bryn Pallesen and Zoe Eisberg states that Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher's June 15 decision violates state and federal law and asks the court to order the challenger placed on the ballot.

The challenger, identified as a retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, entered the race days before the June 1 filing deadline. He registered to vote as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and changed his party affiliation to Republican at the time of his candidacy.

Beecher concluded the declaration was filed to confuse voters rather than pursue a good-faith candidacy, citing similarities between his campaign website and the senator's site as well as his work with a consultant whose clients have included some Democrats.

Beecher acted under an Alaska regulation that bars a candidate's name from appearing on the ballot in a manner confusing or misleading to voters. Legislative attorney Andrew Dunmire stated last week that the regulation does not forbid placing the name on the ballot and that the elections division could distinguish the two candidates through ballot design.

The challenger was initially certified and listed as Dan J. Sullivan while the incumbent appeared as Dan S. Sullivan and was denoted as the incumbent. Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom announced an investigation into the candidacy on June 8.

The challenger has stated he had zero contact with Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola's campaign. Ballots are scheduled to be printed Sunday. Alaska holds open primaries in which the top four vote-getters advance to the ranked-choice general election in a race with more than a dozen candidates.