“It is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention to, improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process," he told reporters in Virginia on Thursday, before the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit was signed by Associate US Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump allies and defendants in cases related to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol before joining the department's senior leadership.

Legal challenge faces questions over its meritsDerek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the case would probably become relevant only if Republicans narrowly lost the Alaska Senate race. “The statute simply doesn't let the Department of Justice enjoin certification,” he said.

“The lawsuit could well be mooted by a wide Democratic victory or a narrow Republican one, and if not, the court will likely dismiss it next month.” The US Constitution gives states the authority to administer their elections, while federal elections must also follow standards set by Congress.

Trump has repeatedly sought to change election procedures through executive orders, several of which have been blocked by courts. Certifying an election is the formal process through which a state confirms the winner.

The Justice Department's lawsuit seeks to stop that process in a specific set of circumstances in Alaska. The state's ranked choice voting system could further complicate the race.

The system allows voters to rank candidates by preference, with votes redistributed as candidates are eliminated until a winner emerges. Trump opposes the system, and a separate ballot measure will ask voters whether it should be repealed.

The final result could take weeks to determine. Trump calls rival candidate's presence ‘cheating’Trump has repeatedly criticised Daniel J.

Sullivan's presence on the ballot, raising the issue at a rally in Alaska this month and in social media posts. In a post on Wednesday, he wrote, “We are looking at powerful legal options to remove the fraudulent Daniel J.

Sullivan Jr. from the Ballot, and holding the Democrats accountable for their Election Interference, in the pursuit of Justice and Fairness,” In another post this week, Trump described the situation as “CHEATING.”

Candidates with similar names have long been used in US elections in attempts to divert votes from a rival. Such tactics can be particularly significant in closely contested races.

Republicans have also been linked to an effort to encourage Ohio voters to support a socialist candidate in that state's Senate race. The move could help Republican Senator Jon Husted fend off a challenge from former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI Photo) One game into India’s tour of New Zealand and the familiar fitness concerns have already surfaced. Ishan Kishan has been ruled...