Alaska’s uncalled Senate contest remains too tight to project as state officials prepare for a significant wave of ballots on November 13, according to updates provided by state leadership.
Alaska Governor Outlines Schedule for Remaining Uncalled Votes
In an interview on WABC radio with John Catsimatidis, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy outlined the schedule for the remaining uncalled votes that will dictate the outcome of the closely watched race, The Hill reported. The governor noted that a large batch of ballots is scheduled to arrive on November 13, followed by a smaller batch on November 15, with the final count concluding on November 25.
The upcoming November 13 release will likely determine the front-runner. Currently, candidate Mary Peltola holds a narrow lead of just a couple of hundred votes over incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, according to Gov. Dunleavy’s remarks.
Data from Decision Desk HQ shows Peltola leading with just over 48 percent of the votes, while Sullivan has secured 47.9 percent with roughly 70 percent of expected votes tallied. Because neither candidate has cleared the 50 percent threshold under the state’s voting rules, the election will proceed to a ranked-choice tabulation if necessary, where trailing candidates are eliminated and their votes redistributed according to voter preferences.
State Authorities Investigate Potential Irregularities Alongside Ballot Processing
Alongside the ongoing ballot processing, Gov. Dunleavy confirmed that state authorities are investigating potential irregularities, particularly concerning whether any actions resemble perjury or misrepresentation of candidate intent on the ballot. This inquiry follows weeks of intense controversy leading up to the midterm election.
The Justice Department previously filed a lawsuit seeking to block the certification of the state’s election results, pointing to the presence of an independent candidate sharing the incumbent’s name, Daniel J. Sullivan, which critics alleged could dilute votes or create confusion. Days before the election, The New York Times reported that Peltola’s campaign was directly involved in recruiting the identically named candidate, an allegation the Democrat has repeatedly denied.
In response to the reporting, Gov. Dunleavy ordered a state investigation into whether the Peltola campaign violated local statutes, while the House Oversight Committee launched a parallel congressional probe into the matter.
Alaska and Mississippi remain the final two states in the nation with uncalled Senate contests from the midterms. While CNN transcripts from election week highlighted a broader national shift with Democrats expanding their majorities in both the House and the Senate, these two specific races continue to linger as election officials work through provisional ballots, mail-in returns, and lingering legal challenges.
