DOJ insists it just wants Alaska ballots preserved and isn’t seeking to change votes

The Justice Department is seeking to preserve ballots cast in Alaska’s closely watched Senate race, not change votes or declare a winner, as the department pursues an investigation into allegations that Democratic operatives helped recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to confuse voters.U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman, who oversees the District of Alaska, confirmed Friday that federal authorities are conducting parallel civil and criminal investigations into the controversy. He said the two proceedings are operating independently, with the civil lawsuit focused on preserving ballots and the criminal investigation examining possible wrongdoing.“The civil lawsuit is publicly faced and is focused on preserving the ballots versus the criminal investigation on the other side,” Heyman said. “Each investigation will follow facts in its own right.” U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Michael J. Heyman holds a news conference on a criminal investigation related to an alleged scheme to confuse voters by putting a Senate candidate on the ballot with the same name as the Republican incumbent, at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Heyman emphasized that the Justice Department is not currently asking a court to change the election results or determine which candidate should win.“The department is not asking … the court to declare a winner or loser or change the votes in any way,” he said. “It’s simply to preserve those ballots.”The clarification comes as the DOJ faces scrutiny over its lawsuit against Alaska, filed Oct. 22, seeking to prevent the state from certifying a Senate election result that could be affected by confusion between the two candidates named Dan Sullivan. The department has invoked the National Voter Registration Act, arguing that ballots that may have been cast for the wrong candidate should be examined before the state finalizes the results.Heyman said the civil case is intended to ensure that election records remain available so state officials can eventually determine whether voters were misled and whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. affected the outcome.The department is also pursuing additional legal steps in the civil case, including a motion for a preliminary injunction and expedited discovery by Monday.The criminal investigation, meanwhile, remains active. Heyman declined to identify potential targets or discuss specific investigative steps, citing the need to protect the inquiry. He said the FBI and Alaska State Troopers are assisting, with additional federal law enforcement resources deployed to the state and investigative work underway elsewhere in the country.The investigations follow a New York Times report published Wednesday alleging that operatives associated with Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee helped recruit Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, to run against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK).Peltola denied Thursday that she knew about the effort to recruit the second Sullivan. Her campaign has denied involvement with either Sullivan’s candidacy. The DSCC has also denied involvement.The controversy has prompted President Donald Trump to call for Peltola to be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) has separately directed state authorities to investigate whether the alleged recruitment effort violated state law.Alaska’s Supreme Court previously ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan could remain on the ballot after state election officials challenged his candidacy.Heyman also addressed his own role in the federal investigations. He said he had previously recused himself because of discussions surrounding a possible judicial nomination, but that the recusal was lifted Thursday.What comes next for Mary Peltola as her campaign faces decoy investigationCalling the allegations in the New York Times report “deeply troubling,” Heyman said federal authorities would pursue credible evidence of efforts to deceive voters or interfere with the election.“We will not let anyone or any group undermine this election,” he said.