Republican Nick Begich III has retained his lead against Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola after the latest election results were released by the Alaska Division of Elections. Currently, Begich commands approximately 49% of the first-place votes, compared to Peltola’s nearly 46%, translating to a difference of almost 10,000 votes.
In parallel, a ballot initiative aimed at repealing the state’s open primary and ranked choice voting system appears to be on track for approval. With thousands of ballots still outstanding, the “yes” votes currently surpass “no” votes by over 2,800, or about 1 percentage point.
The Division of Elections plans to provide additional updates on Nov. 15 and Nov. 20, while Tuesday’s tally included around 38,000 newly counted ballots, primarily absentee and early votes. This marks the first major addition of ballots since Election Day.
The election results also shed light on various state legislative races, where key positions remain stable. Notably, Fairbanks Senator Scott Kawasaki has expanded his lead, while Democratic contenders in Anchorage House races hold slim advantages over their Republican opponents. The outcomes are expected to bolster bipartisan coalitions in both legislative chambers as the House transitions to a predominantly Democratic caucus.
Alaska’s vote counting continues at a deliberate pace, with a significant number of absentee and early ballots still unaccounted for. Final election results are anticipated by Nov. 20, with certification set for Nov. 30.
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Photo credit alaskapublic.org
