A judge threw out the DOJ’s Alaska suit.

In Alaska, two men named Dan Sullivan want the same job, and both names are on the voting paper. The president’s lawyers asked a judge to pull out one Dan’s votes and check them, like scooping marbles out of a jar before the count. On Sunday the judge said no. Votes are secret. The grown-ups have it.

Why it worksA six-year-old reasons from what is in front of them, so the script gives them a jar of marbles and one rule: votes are secret, nobody peeks. The lawsuit and the appeal stay out, because this age can’t yet hold the abstract part and doesn’t need to. Expect “so who wins?” Nobody yet. Alaska votes Tuesday.

Also written for 8–12 and 13–17.

Alaska votes Tuesday with two Dan Sullivans on the ballot. The Justice Department sued to set the second Dan’s votes aside if the senator lost. On Sunday Judge Sharon Gleason threw it out: ballots are secret, and the DOJ had no plan to keep them so. Like a referee refusing a new rule after kickoff.

Why it worksThis age is testing whether adults apply rules evenly, and the script hands them the chain whole: a lawsuit, a judge, a no, with the reason attached. Secret ballots are a rule they can check, and a referee who won’t change the rules after kickoff is a call they make at recess. Expect “so did the DOJ lose?” Say yes, for now.

Also written for 5–7 and 13–17.

Should a court set aside ballots to check what voters meant? The DOJ asked in Alaska, and Judge Sharon Gleason said no: “no workable plan” that kept ballots secret, and days too late. Second: the DOJ says she never ruled on whether the second Dan is a decoy. Does that soften the loss?

Why it worksA teenager can hold two true things at once: a judge refused the DOJ’s plan because it could not keep ballots secret, and the DOJ says she never ruled on whether the second Dan is a decoy. The script hands them both. Expect “was he planted?” Say the judge didn’t decide that, and nobody has proved it.

Also written for 5–7 and 8–12.