A week after Election Day, Alaska's U.S. Senate race is still undecided. Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola are separated by fewer than 700 first-choice votes, and the fight has moved into court.
Where the count stands
Reports put the gap between the two candidates at well under 1,000 votes, with Peltola slightly ahead in first-choice votes in the latest counts. Alaska still accepts some mailed ballots after Election Day, so the numbers can still change.
Alaska uses ranked-choice voting. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, the state counts voters' second and later choices. That ranked-choice count is scheduled for November 18. Results are due to be certified on November 25.
The court fight
Peltola's side: On Friday, November 6, a group backing Peltola sued Alaska's Division of Elections in Anchorage Superior Court. It wants the records of absentee ballots that have been rejected so far, and asked the judge for an emergency order to get them quickly.
The state: The Division of Elections says that data is preliminary and has long been kept confidential, and that releasing it now could slow down the count.
Sullivan's side: On Monday, November 9, Sullivan's campaign asked to join the case to oppose the request. It argues the Peltola campaign wants to find rejected ballots from likely Democratic voters and influence which ballots get counted outside the normal legal process.
Why it matters
Every Senate seat counts in a closely divided chamber. A narrow result also raises the chance of a recount and more legal challenges, which could push a final answer past Thanksgiving.
What to watch next
- How the judge rules on the request for rejected-ballot records.
- The ranked-choice count on November 18.
- Certification on November 25, and whether either side asks for a recount.
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