Alaska Senate Race Uncalled as Peltola Leads by 626 Votes

Alaska’s U.S. Senate race remained uncalled Wednesday, with Democrat Mary Peltola holding a 626-vote lead over Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan in a provisional tally that left both below the threshold for an outright win. The result will determine the size, rather than control, of the Senate majority, which Democrats had already secured, according to reports published Wednesday. State results cited in the Wednesday morning tally showed Peltola with 102,701 votes and Sullivan with 102,075, with 77% of expected votes counted. The figures are an interim snapshot, not a final result. Earlier returns had shifted the lead between the candidates, and neither had received more than 50% of first-choice votes. Alaska accepts qualifying ballots postmarked by Election Day for up to 15 days. The receipt deadline is November 18, the scheduled date for ranked-choice tabulation if no candidate exceeds 50% of first-choice votes. Under the system, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and ballots are reassigned according to voters’ next choices until a candidate reaches a majority. State officials planned additional count updates on November 10, 13 and 18, with certification aimed...