The Justice Department has begun issuing a new wave of subpoenas stemming from an ongoing criminal probe of Alaska's U.S. Senate race and alleged efforts by Democrats to recruit a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The subpoenas are targeting Democratic officials believed to be tied to the effort to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan to appear on Alaska's ballot, marking a new escalation in the Trump administration's efforts to intervene in the race just days before the midterm elections.

The Trump administration filed a separate civil lawsuit last week seeking an injunction against the state certifying the results of its election in the event Sen. Sullivan narrowly loses, which a federal judge is expected to rule on in the coming days.

The subpoenas follow a report Wednesday by The New York Times that detailed alleged efforts by Democrats and some in Peltola's campaign to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, to be on the ballot with incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan.

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President Donald Trump once again on Thursday targeted Democrats and Alaska Senate Democratic candidate Mary Peltola after the New York Times reported on Wednesday that her campaign recruited a candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican.

Asked if Republicans should refuse to seat Peltola if she wins the Senate election, Trump did not rule this out, saying "well, you're going to have to see what happens."

Trump repeated claims of "election fraud," adding that "it was a scheme."

Alaska courts evaluated the dispute over Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy and found nothing illegal about his bid to be on the ballot -- even if it was not entirely in "good faith" or an attempt to "confuse and mislead" as the Trump administration and Republicans contend.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart and Emily Chang

More than 2 million North Carolinians have cast ballots in the state's midterm election as of Wednesday evening, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

That marks a more than a 35% turnout increase compared to the same period in 2022, when approximately 1.6 million early votes were cast, according to election data.

The milestone also comes as early vote turnout surges among Black voters in North Carolina by more than 50% compared to roughly the same point in 2022, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Early voting in the state continues through Saturday.

-ABC News' Halle Troadec

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is pre-deploying election-law attorneys to monitor vote counting in key California battleground congressional districts -- an effort that he said aims to protect from any interference by the Trump administration and to monitor vote counting.

Last month, Newsom signed election protection laws making it a felony to illegally seize ballots, election records or voting technology while votes are still being counted, or to directly interfere with mail ballot delivery.

Newsom's team said that attorneys and trained volunteers will be stationed at county election offices in key congressional districts, including the 6th District, 13th District, 22nd District, 45th District and 48th District, beginning Election Day and remaining for as long as necessary.

-ABC News' Juhi Doshi