Judge tosses Trump Justice Dept bid to segregate Alaska ballots. Appeal filed the same day.

On Sunday, two days before Alaskans finish voting, a federal judge threw out the Trump Justice Department’s push to segregate ballots and slow certification of the Senate race.

Last-minute sorting of votes betrays basic fairness.

Judge Sharon Gleason said the federal government lacked standing. She said the plan risked the secret ballot and came too late to change rules. She wrote that the government offered no workable plan to segregate the ballots while protecting voter secrecy, and that the change would likely confuse voters and discourage turnout.

The department appealed the ruling the same day.

Another federal judge issued an emergency order Friday. It bars the Justice and Homeland Security departments from pressuring election officials to segregate ballots, purge rolls, or halt processing based on the administration’s claims about ineligible voters. The department is appealing that order too.

Your ballot stays secret.

The Justice Department says it is protecting voters and preventing rigging. Trump said he had not heard about the ruling but called the case “a very important lawsuit.”

This civil case is separate from a criminal probe into whether Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit the namesake candidate. No charges had been announced as of Oct 31, and Peltola denies the claim reported by the New York Times. That allegation has not been established in court.

Alaska’s Republican governor ordered a state investigation. He suggested certification could be withheld depending on what it finds.

Last-minute rule changes put your vote at risk. Secret-ballot protections are not optional, and judges had to step in to say so.

You don’t need to be a Democrat to reject this. If you want calm, clear rules and results counted once, without games, stop handing power to people who try to keep outcomes open-ended.

Where’s your line?

• Ask your local election office how they protect ballot secrecy and reject last-minute rule changes.
• Tell your state lawmakers you want clear, written rules that forbid sorting or seizing ballots after voting starts.
• Vote today to replace the officials who play games with certification and ballot counting.
• Check your voter registration at Vote.gov

Countdown

The 2026 midterms were 4 days ago.

References

UPDATE: Judge throws out DOJ bid to segregate Alaska ballots and delay Senate certification; DOJ appeals same day. Nov 1, 2026
UPDATE: Judge throws out DOJ bid to segregate Alaska ballots and delay Senate certification; DOJ appeals same day. Nov 2, 2026