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Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, waves signs on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 in Midtown Anchorage. (Photo by Loren Holmes/Alaska Beacon)
By James Brooks
If Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan wins re-election, Alaska’s ranked choice runoff system may deserve part of the credit.
Early Wednesday morning results published by the Alaska Division of Elections show Democratic challenger Mary Peltola leading Sullivan by 626 first-choice votes, but according to preliminary data published at 2:45 a.m. by the Alaska Division of Elections, Sullivan will gain hundreds more redistributed votes than Peltola if the race goes to a ranked choice runoff.
The Alaska State Capitol is seen during the last week of the 2025 session on May 19, 2025. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
By Corinne Smith
Anchorage Republican Cathy Giessel will be the next Alaska Senate President for the upcoming 35th Alaska State Legislature, according to an announcement from a bipartisan coalition of senators on Wednesday.
Wrangell, Alaska is seen from the window of Alaska Airlines Flight 64 on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. At bottom is the tip of the airplane’s wing. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
By Larry Persily, Wrangell Sentinel
The Republican trio served together in Congress for more than two decades, and while the Anchorage port is named for the late Rep. Don Young and the Anchorage airport is named for the late Sen. Ted Stevens, their congressional colleague, Sen. Frank Murkowski, is more at home in Southeast.
The Wrangell borough assembly on Oct. 27 voted unanimously to name the former 6-Mile sawmill property, which the borough is developing as an industrial site, as the Frank H. Murkowski Deepwater Port of Wrangell, Alaska.
Voters mark their ballots on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 at the University of Alaska Anchorage. (Photo by Loren Holmes/Alaska Beacon)
By James Brooks
Incumbents Sen. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, and Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, led in first-choice election results Tuesday night, but preliminary results from ranked choice runoffs show them trailing challengers in their hotly contested Matanuska-Susitna Borough legislative races.
Rep. Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla, trailed in first-choice election results but a Wednesday morning ranked choice tabulation performed by the Alaska Beacon using Division of Elections data shows her leading by six votes.
By James Brooks and Claire Stremple
Partial election results Wednesday afternoon show Alaska voters overwhelmingly approving Ballot Measure 3, which would add a new state law prohibiting noncitizens from voting in Alaska.
A different Alaska law already prohibits noncitizen voting, as does federal law. When enacted, Ballot Measure 3 will not change existing practice, according to an analysis by the Alaska Department of Law.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins likely to become Alaska’s first Democratic governor since 2002 | James Brooks, Corinne Smith and Yereth Rosen
Alaska’s US Senate race a tossup, with many absentee and early votes to be counted | James Brooks, Corinne Smith and Yereth Rosen
Alaska Republican incumbent Rep. Nick Begich III has big lead for state’s lone US House seat | James Brooks, Corinne Smith and Yereth Rosen
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