Alaska targets Nov. 18 for final vote count in Senate and governor races
State officials must wait for overseas ballots and ranked-choice tabulations to determine winners in a contested Senate seat and an open gubernatorial race.
By Marco Graham ·
State elections officials in Alaska have set November 18 as the target date to finalize results for the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races, pending the receipt of overseas ballots and the application of ranked-choice voting rules.
On Wednesday, residents awaited updates on the two major contests, both of which remain undecided after Tuesday's general election. If no candidate secures more than 50% of first-choice votes, officials will count subsequent preferences to determine the winner.
The timeline extends because Alaska accepts ballots from voters overseas for up to 15 days after the election. This period allows for the delivery of mail ballots from rural communities that rely on air or water transport for postal service.
The Senate race has been marked by litigation and allegations of partisan interference. The Department of Justice, acting on President Donald Trump's direction, filed a lawsuit less than two weeks before the election to block the certification of the race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lost. The suit cited potential voter confusion with retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan, who also appeared on the ballot. A federal judge dismissed the case, though the department has appealed.
Tensions escalated last week when The New York Times reported that former aides to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola were involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan. The report relied on interviews with a former campaign manager who was fired before the August primary, along with text messages and finance documents showing an operative was paid by a group backing Peltola. Federal authorities have confirmed a criminal investigation into the matter. Peltola has denied involvement, while Dan J. Sullivan has not responded to recent requests for comment.
In his closing argument to voters, Sullivan questioned Peltola's denials. His campaign expressed confidence in his chances on Wednesday, citing what it called the biggest election cheating scandal in Alaska's history and a general loss for Republicans in other states.
In the governor's race, Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins seeks to become the first Democrat elected to the office since Tony Knowles, whose terms ended in 2002. Kreiss-Tomkins faces three Republican opponents, including Bernadette Wilson, who holds President Trump's endorsement. Trump previously described ranked voting as a scam during a rally in Wasilla and criticized fellow Republican candidates Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor on social media. Wilson said on Wednesday that she remains cautiously optimistic.
Voters also decided on a ballot measure to repeal Alaska's open primary and ranked-choice general election system. The measure asks voters to reverse a system approved in 2020 and used in 2022. A similar repeal effort was narrowly rejected in 2024.
