Alaska Senate race unresolved as candidates expect weekslong ballot-counting process

Washington — The Senate race in Alaska remains unresolved Wednesday, as a contest that has garnered widespread attention over the two candidates named Dan Sullivan faces a lengthy ballot-counting process.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola are facing off in the race, which also has two other candidates on the ballot: an independent candidate and retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, and another Republican, Gerald Heikes.

With around three-quarters of the vote in as of Wednesday morning, the race remains a toss-up, according to CBS News estimates. 

The count in Alaska could stretch on. Alaska has a ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank as many or as few candidates as they'd like in order of preference. If no candidate secures support from more than 50% of voters as their top choice, the count goes to a second round. 

The ranked-choice tabulation doesn't occur until the last counting of ballots 15 days after Election Day, meaning the process could drag on for weeks if one candidate does not secure more than 50% of first-place support on the ballot.

The results in Alaska will come after Democrats already secured enough seats to take control of the Senate, winning in several states that President Trump won by double digits in 2024. Alaska could either add to the Democrats' majority, or deliver some relief to Republicans by blunting additional Democratic gains. One other Senate contest, the Mississippi race, also remained unresolved Wednesday morning. 

Speaking to reporters early Wednesday morning, Peltola said, "The results are not going to be fast."

"But Alaskans are patient," she said. "We just want to make sure the folks [in] the Lower 48 know it won't be hours, it won't be days, it will be weeks." 

Sen. Sullivan likewise emphasized to supporters, "We're going to have a long night," adding, "We're probably going to have some long weeks."