Alaska Senate Race Remains Uncalled as Ballot Count Stalls
Thousands of outstanding ballots and a complex tabulation process leave the outcome of the U.S. Senate and governor races in suspense.
By Leah Thompson ·
The contest between two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola remains undecided as election officials continue counting ballots across Alaska. Both candidates are urging supporters to wait while workers process thousands of outstanding votes. The race to fill the open governor’s seat is also still in play.
Peltola addressed her supporters on Tuesday night after Democrats secured enough seats nationally to take control of the U.S. Senate. While acknowledging the national victory, she noted that the state’s final results would require time. She emphasized the logistical challenge of collecting votes from remote areas and military personnel serving overseas.
"It’s going to take a long time to make sure we’re counting every vote from every far-flung hinterland community, from every tiny outpost, from all of our service members serving overseas, our young people going to colleges," Peltola said. The state has approximately 600,000 registered voters spread across a vast geography where many communities are reachable only by plane or boat.
The extended counting period is not unusual for Alaska elections. In the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Senate races, it took roughly two weeks to determine a winner. State officials are targeting November 18 for the tabulation of overseas ballots under the ranked-choice voting system.
Alaska’s election system combines open primaries with ranked-choice voting in general elections. If no candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Those ballots are then redistributed according to voters' next preferences until one candidate achieves a majority. A separate ballot measure to repeal this unique system also remained undecided.
State rules allow up to 15 days after Election Day for overseas voters to submit ballots. For domestic mail-in ballots, the window is up to 10 days. This timeline is critical for rural communities that rely on air service for mail delivery. Both Senate campaigns have maintained that patience is required as the count proceeds.
