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Alaska Judge Blocks Write-In Candidate Lists

An Alaska judge has issued a temporary restraining order that bars the state Division of Elections from giving voters at polling places a list of certified write-in candidates — a move that some had charged gave an unfair advantage to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), who is running as a write-in.

The state Democratic and Republican parties this week jointly sued the elections division, arguing that giving out the list of write-in candidates was unfair to candidates whose names are on the ballot Tuesday. Murkowski is trying to beat out Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D) and Fairbanks attorney Joe Miller (R).

According to the Associated Press, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Frank A. Pfiffner said the Division of Elections was in clear violation of an administrative regulation. The division’s move to provide a list of write-in candidates to voters at polling places is unprecedented. Murkowski’s campaign had expressed support for the list.

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