Drama in AK U.S. Senate race heats up with lawsuit

Joe Miller has filed a lawsuit against the Lisa Murkowksi campaign. Ballots that vote for a write-in candidate can be confusing if spelling errors are made, and Miller wants to keep the state from interpreting ballots. Miller’s suit comes after election officials had said interpretations would be made where reasonable and necessary. The suit alleges that there is no interpretative leeway, and is pursuing a course of negating any room for assumptions.

Before Alaska Senate race votes are counted, a lawsuit was already filed

Before the final count within the Alaska Senate race, Joe Miller has already filed for an injunction in Federal court. Miller and Lisa Murkowski are the only candidates within the race. She is a write in candidate and also the incumbent. USA Today reports the Alaskan election law is what Miller is suing about. The name has to be written within the write-in candidate spot while the oval has to be filled in, as outlined by Alaska law. The last name of the candidate has to be written. Occasionally it appears differently on the ballot. Names of official write-in candidates must be displayed in the booth. He is trying to cut any tries to discern voter intent off at the pass.

Another case discussed

Miller’s suit cites the infamous court case Bush v. Gore, the Supreme Court case which decided the 2000 election. Joe Miller, the Tea Party darling with the Sarah Palin endorsement, is alleging that the law in Alaska mandates names of candidates be spelled correctly. However, as outlined by the Washington Post, Alaskan officials insist some room for interpretation exists, in that misspellings are acceptable if there is a clear intention of which candidate the voter had been casting a ballot for.

Counting the final time

Numerous have been watching the Alaska Senate race for the final vote. In the 2010 election results, this race is viewed closely. Sarah Palin and all her Tea Party fans will be really upset if Murkowksi wins. It might be really dangerous. Since Strom Thurmond in 1954, she may also be the first write-in candidate to win.

Articles cited

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/09/AR2010110907061.html?wprss=rss_print

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/11/joe-miller-alaska-senate-lisa-murkowski-/1