Peltola campaign sues Alaska over rejected absentee ballot records

The Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola has filed a lawsuit against Alaska state election officials demanding access to records on absentee ballots that were rejected in the recent election. Peltola's campaign, represented by Alaskans for Mary, is seeking the immediate release of these records and a temporary restraining order to prevent any further delays.

The lawsuit comes as the race between Peltola and Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan remains extremely close, with only about 600 votes separating them. This tight margin could make the outcome of the election dependent on absentee ballots from remote areas where counting is still ongoing. The state has until November 18 to accept ballots, which could potentially be flown in from these remote locations.

The plaintiffs argue that without immediate access to these records, it would be impossible to monitor the counting process and verify whether any ballots were improperly rejected, particularly those belonging to Peltola supporters. The lawsuit alleges that the State Department of Law, representing the lieutenant governor and the Division of Elections, has treated these records as confidential and refuses to release them despite requests under the state's Public Records Act.

The Division of Elections maintains that they are confidential and that releasing them would create additional burdens during the ballot processing and potentially delay the final vote count. Both campaigns are now locked in a fierce battle for control of the US Senate, with the outcomes of the Alaska and Mississippi races being crucial in determining whether Democrats can expand their majority in the Senate.