United States Department of Justice

DFL incumbent Steve Simon, seeking a fourth term as Minnesota secretary of state, debated Republican challenger Tad Jude at Minnesota Public Radio's St. Paul studio. Jude called for tighter voter requirements, including provisional ballots for same-day registrants, saying "an illegal vote is a stolen vote." Simon cited studies ranking Minnesota first nationally on election performance and showing only three illegal votes among 13.4 million cast from 2015 to 2024. Simon pressed Jude on Trump's unsubstantiated claims of winning Minnesota; Jude acknowledged certified results but stopped short of refuting Trump. Both addressed a DOJ lawsuit over Alaska's Senate certification and debated the state's redesigned flag. Election Day is November 3.

Baton Rouge has been selected to receive federal funding through the Justice Department's Model Cities Initiative, a $300 million competitive grant program aimed at addressing police staffing shortages. Jackson, Mississippi; Jacksonville, Florida; and St. Louis, Missouri, were also chosen. Exact grant amounts have not yet been announced by Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Funds can go toward hiring, training and retention, equipment and technology such as license plate readers and drones, and mental health and substance use services. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy helped East Baton Rouge Parish leaders apply. Some eligible cities, including Houston, declined funding over concerns about conditions tied to administration policies. Applications were open to jurisdictions over 100,000 people, due by September 1.

The Department of Justice has escalated its investigation into alleged noncitizen voting in California, issuing three grand jury subpoenas to Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder employees ordering them to appear in court Nov. 4. The subpoenas seek documents and communications tied to DOJ letters sent in July and October alleging noncitizens on the state's voter rolls, plus any efforts to keep such votes from being counted.

Earlier, the DOJ sued California after giving officials 48 hours to match 20,000 DHS-flagged names against state data; a federal preliminary review found about 118,000 matches nationwide, below Trump's earlier claim of 250,000. A judge already rejected a DOJ bid to force removal of over 20,000 mail-in ballots, and the department has appealed while Los Angeles says it is complying with the law.

The Justice Department announced indictments against 18 people in North Carolina for allegedly voting illegally in the 2024 election, bringing the state's total to 30 cases tied to that election cycle. Federal grand juries in Charlotte and Greensboro returned charges spanning all three of the state's federal districts, with defendants including lawful permanent residents from countries such as Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, France, Cuba, and Argentina accused of falsely claiming citizenship to register or vote. One defendant allegedly cast ballots dating back to 2000. The indictments arrive as the Trump administration intensifies voter fraud investigations ahead of the midterms, with charges carrying penalties up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

A New York Times report alleges top aides to Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola searched voter rolls in 2025 for a resident named Dan Sullivan, hoping to recruit one to run against Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan and split his support under the state's ranked-choice system. The effort, reportedly run by operative Jerid Kurtz with DSCC coordination, found retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. in Petersburg, who entered the race; both Sullivans now appear on the four-person ballot, distinguished by middle initial, "Jr.," party affiliation, and an "Incumbent" label. Peltola's campaign and the DSCC deny involvement, calling the report a "distraction," though a fired former campaign manager told the Times Peltola was "definitely aware."

Gov. Mike Dunleavy directed Alaska's Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the scheme violated state law, saying the report shows an "organized effort" to confuse voters. The order follows Trump's call for Peltola's prosecution and a DOJ lawsuit seeking to block certification of a Peltola win if Sullivan Jr. stays on the ballot. Dunleavy has since suggested the state could withhold or delay certifying the Senate results if Peltola wins, pending the probe's findings, and the House Oversight Committee has opened its own inquiry. Sullivan Jr. denies coordinating with Democrats, and the Alaska Supreme Court previously allowed him to remain on the ballot; a legal analyst notes recruiting a spoiler candidate, even if true, may not be illegal under Alaska law.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate allegations that staff for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recruited namesake challenger Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. to siphon votes from Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The probe follows New York Times reporting, partly based on a since-retracted account from Peltola's fired former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, describing an internal "ballot composition" effort allegedly involving Peltola's campaign lawyers and senior DSCC aides. The Peltola campaign and DSCC deny involvement, with Peltola calling the controversy "a distraction"; the retired Petersburg teacher also denies running at Democrats' behest, though he has acknowledged a history of backing Peltola and other Democrats.

President Trump called for Peltola's prosecution and removal from the ballot, and the Justice Department has issued fresh subpoenas to Democratic officials believed to be involved in the recruitment effort, building on an existing U.S. Attorney's Office inquiry into Daniel J. Sullivan dating back to summer. The DOJ has also sued to block certification if Sullivan narrowly loses, arguing the scheme amounts to a "conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the electoral process"; Alaska moved to dismiss that suit, calling it meritless, and a federal judge set an expedited schedule with a ruling possible within days. The Alaska Supreme Court previously rejected efforts to remove the challenger Sullivan from the ballot. Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined other Republicans condemning the alleged scheme as voters rank Sen. Sullivan, Peltola, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., and Gerald Heikes on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Dunleavy has declined to commit to certifying the election if Peltola wins while the investigation is ongoing, saying any finding of illegal conduct "may in fact impact whether somebody is seated in the U.S. Senate" and that officials would weigh whether to involve Senate leadership. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has demanded testimony from operatives named in the reporting and threatened subpoenas of his own. Dunleavy's term ends Dec. 7, shortly after Alaska's target date for certifying results.