Alaska’s Division of Elections released a comprehensive update on November 11, showing how the state’s ranked‑choice voting (RCV) system is shaping the final tallies for the governor’s race, the U.S. Senate contest, and the at‑large congressional seat.
Governor’s Race: Democrat Leads but RCV Still in Play
With 100% of precincts reported, Democrat Jonathon Kreiss‑Tomkins has amassed 122,353 first‑choice votes, representing 49.64% of the total. Republican Bernadette Wilson follows with 71,231 votes, while fellow Republicans Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor have 34,188 and 18,012 votes respectively. Write‑in candidates collected 697 votes.
The three Republican tickets together hold a slim 1,078‑vote advantage over Kreiss‑Tomkins if every ballot remains active. However, analysis of the state‑provided Cast Vote Record (CVR) shows thousands of exhausted ballots because many voters did not rank Wilson as a second choice. This ballot exhaustion could shift the final result once the RCV tabulation is completed.
U.S. Senate Race: Tight Margin Between Peltola and Sullivan
In the Senate contest, Democrat Mary Peltola leads with 121,487 votes (48.73%). Incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan trails closely with 117,512 votes, a gap of 3,975 votes. Two additional candidates—Gerald Heikes (5,426 votes) and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. of Petersburg (4,100 votes)—are identified as having been recruited by the Peltola campaign.
Because the race is still within the RCV threshold, the final outcome will depend on how voters who selected Heikes or the Petersburg candidate as their first choice ranked the incumbent in subsequent preferences. If a significant number of those voters also listed Senator Sullivan, the tabulation could swing the seat back to the Republican side.
U.S. House Race: Republican Holds Steady Lead
Republican Congressman Nick Begich maintains a solid lead over liberal‑identified nonpartisan candidate Bill Hill, with 121,324 votes (48.89%) to Hill’s 101,297 votes (40.82%). Additional candidates include incarcerated felon Eric Hafner, who received 18,562 votes, and Libertarian James “Jim” McDermott, who earned 6,606 votes.
The final RCV count will confirm whether Begich’s lead holds after any exhausted ballots are removed.
What Ranked‑Choice Exhaustion Means for Alaskans
Ballot exhaustion occurs when a voter’s ranked choices are all eliminated before a candidate reaches a majority, effectively removing that voter’s ballot from the final count. The Alaska Division of Elections notes that thousands of ballots in the governor’s race lack a second‑choice ranking for Wilson, potentially diminishing the Republican coalition’s advantage.
Election officials encourage voters to rank multiple candidates to ensure their voices remain counted through each round of tabulation. As the RCV process continues, the state will release updated totals reflecting any shifts caused by exhausted ballots.
Looking Ahead
Alaska’s unique RCV system aims to produce winners with broader support, but the current data underscores the importance of voter education on ranking preferences. The final certified results are expected once the full tabulation is completed, likely within the next few days.
Original reporting: Must Read Alaska (Anchorage) — read the source article.
