Alaska judge rules Sweeney won’t advance to special election

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A judge has ruled that Alaska elections officials do not need to put the fifth-place finisher in this month’s U.S. House special primary on the upcoming special election ballot in place of a candidate who withdrew.

Superior Court Judge William Morse issued an order Friday agreeing with the Alaska Division of Elections’ reading of the law. His decision was appealed.

The division’s director had said that because independent Al Gross withdrew less than 64 days before the election, state law did not permit the division to put the fifth-place candidate, Republican Tara Sweeney, on the special election ballot in his place.

A lawsuit challenging that interpretation was filed by three registered voters.

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