More than two weeks after Election Day, Alaska’s lengthy ranked-choice voting process has officially come to a close.
Democrat Mary Petola will go on to serve a full-term as Alaska’s representative in the U.S. House, after initially defeating one-time vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in a special election following Rep. Don Young’s death.
Meanwhile, moderate Republican incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski has won another term in the U.S. Senate after a contentious battle against Trump-backed challenger Kelly Tshibaka.
Murkowski led Tshibaka by less than 1,700 votes — 43.3% to 42.7% at noon on Wednesday, according to data published by The Hill. Murkowski pulled away from Tshibaka once the ranked-choice results were tabulated, with Democrats and independents breaking heavily for the incumbent senator. With more than 95% of the vote in, Murkowski leads 54% to Tshibaka’s 46%.
On the House side, Peltola has held a definitive lead since election night, with 48.7% support over Republican candidates Sarah Palin at 25.8% and Nick Begich at 23.4% as of noon. The ranked-choice results from the Alaska Division of Elections confirmed incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola, D, defeated her Republican challenger and former Gov. Sarah Palin 55% to 45%.
According to the new election system, contests where neither candidate reaches the 50% threshold will see the candidate who finished with the lowest number of votes eliminated.
The voters who cast their ballot for that individual then have their votes reallocated to their second-choice candidate.
Ultimately, only two candidates are left at the end until a winner is determined.
On Monday, Sen. Murkowski’s team released a memo stating they expected that at least 70% of the 26,874 votes initially cast for Chesbro will end up in her column, propelling her across the finish line.
“Any remaining outstanding votes (absentee and early) will break favorably for Lisa Murkowski. When the ranked-choice process plays out on November 23rd and 2nd place votes are tallied, Lisa Murkowski will once again secure re-election,” Nate Adams, Murkowski’s campaign manager, wrote in the memo.
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That is just the system we all need. Manipulate the system and you be in office until they carry you out feet first. The way I see it Alaska has a new Democratic and has retained another Democrat in the Senate. If the state of Alaska does not get this weird system repealed they will forever be controlled by Democrats in a state that is unanimously Republican. Makes perfect sense to me.
You don’t say what kind of voting system they have. Are they using voting machines? If so, then their voting system is highly susceptible to fraud.
It’s the system not machines. After the primary they had two Republicans facing each other for the senate. Their system is bazar.
If Alaska keeps this asinine voting system they get what they deserve. To be forever under the thumb of radical ,corrupt Demons. How many feet above Hell are you all? Not many I think.
Murkowski is a democrat and why were two republicans running against each other. What the hell is the republican party doing in Alaska. Is the party democrats who have infiltrated the party. I don’t know who set up their ranking system but the voters and the republican party deserve what they got. If I lived in Alaska I would get the hell out before the democrats destroy their state if it hasn’t already started destroying the state. My state is too late to redeem itself and I am tired of putting up with more and more laws meant to control everything we do and think. It’s reaching the point where my paycheck is gone in minutes just paying for food and heat while our energy system sends power to other states cheaper while we are charged through the nose thanks to the democrats getting richer and richer in power. I am following my nephews heading South this January 2023.
Alaskans are like Philadelphians. That’s all folks.
McConnell bucks at work! A perfect example of what Rino Mitch means when he says he wants to find common ground with dems. Working together to keep the rino/dem establishment in power, scratch out outsiders, and preserve the country club members.
If you donate to the RNC, Mitch takes your money, uses it against America First candidates and spends it on RINO swamp incumbents.
What have we become when we turn to cheating to secure an election? Shame on Alaska it once was the epitome of American independence and freedom. What Happened? I lived there for five years in the 50s and always felt like a pioneer, self sufficient, honest, neighborly, free and in love with the environment. I guess people change when power and greed enter their lives especially politicians.
Huh??? “moderate Republican incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski“.
Perhaps the most liberal Republican, or moderate Democrat would be a better description.