Two different candidates on your ballot, and you have to choose. Easy, unless both are called Dan Sullivan. In Alaska, that is exactly the situation.
Here is why the same name on the ballot ended up in court, and why the secret ballot stopped the plan.
In this article
- Dan Sullivan vs. Dan Sullivan in Alaska
- Same Name on the Ballot: Worries About Mix-Ups
- The Plan: Find, Separate, Investigate
- Secret Ballot: A Judge Throws the Case Out
- Why Secret Ballots Matter in Every Election
- FAQ
Dan Sullivan vs. Dan Sullivan in Alaska
In Alaska, a senator named Dan Sullivan is running again. But there's a second man on the ballot. His name? Again, Dan Sullivan. Different person, same name.
On the ballot, the two appear as Dan S. Sullivan and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
Same Name on the Ballot: Worries About Mix-Ups
Some people worried voters would mix them up. Donald Trump also weighed in, telling reporters: “I think it's illegal because it's unfair.” And: “They come up with a guy who never partook in any election, was never involved.”
The Plan: Find, Separate, Investigate
So the government had an idea:
- Find every ballot with a vote for the second Dan Sullivan.
- Put them on a separate pile.
- Investigate them.
Sounds simple. But there's one big problem.
Secret Ballot: A Judge Throws the Case Out
Votes are secret. Nobody is supposed to know who voted for whom.
A judge threw the case out. She said the government had “no workable plan” to do this and keep the vote secret. And many ballots were already cast and mixed together.
Why Secret Ballots Matter in Every Election
Secret ballots matter, whether it's the US Senate or the board election in your club. Once a vote can be traced back to a person, people no longer vote freely.
How the secret ballot is protected in online voting is explained in our section on security and data protection in online voting.
What do you think: should two people with the same name be on one ballot?
FAQ
Why are there two Dan Sullivans on Alaska's ballot?
Senator Dan Sullivan is running again, and a second, different man with the same name is also on the ballot.
What was the plan for the ballots?
Every ballot with a vote for the second Dan Sullivan was to be found, put on a separate pile and investigated.
Why did the judge throw the case out?
She said there was no workable plan to do this and keep the vote secret. Many ballots were also already cast and mixed together.
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