Alaska election results delayed as state awaits overseas ballots and ranked votes

Alaska voters will wait until November 18 for final results in the U.S. Senate and governor races. State elections officials set that date to account for overseas ballots, which have until 15 days after the election to be received. If no candidate secures more than 50% of first-choice votes, the ranked choice system will determine the winner.

The delay leaves two major contests in limbo. In the Senate race, two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola. In the open governor seat, former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins battles three Republican opponents, including business owner Bernadette Wilson. Wilson received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

The Senate contest drew national attention due to legal and investigative issues. The Department of Justice sued at the direction of President Trump to block certification if Sullivan lost, citing potential confusion with retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan. A federal judge dismissed the case, and the department has appealed. A New York Times report indicated that Peltola aides may have helped recruit the other Sullivan. Federal authorities have confirmed a criminal investigation is underway. Peltola denied involvement, while Dan J. Sullivan has not responded to recent requests for comment.

Both campaigns have urged patience. Peltola told supporters on Tuesday night that counting votes from rural and overseas locations would take time. She noted that Alaska allows 10 days for domestic absentee ballots, a critical window for communities accessible only by air or water. Sullivan’s campaign expressed confidence on Wednesday, citing what it called a major cheating scandal and a national trend for Republicans.

In the governor’s race, Kreiss-Tomkins sought to position himself as a consensus builder to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike Dunleavy. He spoke to supporters on election night about the importance of the moment. State Republican leaders advised their voters to rank the three GOP candidates to maximize their chances. Trump previously criticized the ranked voting system as a scam and criticized fellow Republicans Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor on social media.

A third item on the ballot sought to repeal the open primary and ranked vote system. Alaskans approved this system in 2020, and it took effect in 2022. Voters narrowly rejected a similar repeal effort two years ago. The result of this measure was also too early to call on Wednesday.

Alaska’s last Democratic governor was Tony Knowles, who served two terms from 1994 to 2002. An independent governor held the office from 2014 to 2018. Wilson issued a statement on Wednesday describing her outlook as cautiously optimistic as the state moves through the final days of the count.