Alaska Senate Race Remains Uncalled as Legal and Political Disputes Mount
The high-stakes race between Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola remains undecided amid ongoing ballot counts and federal lawsuits.
The closely watched U.S. Senate race in Alaska remains uncalled, with election officials indicating that the final outcome could take days or even weeks to determine. According to unofficial results from the Alaska Division of Elections, Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan held a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, with mail-in ballots, absentee votes, and ranked-choice tabulations still ahead.
As of late Tuesday night, unofficial figures showed Senator Sullivan with 48.7 percent of the vote compared to Peltola at 47.5 percent, separated by a margin of 2,470 votes with a portion of precincts reporting. Because Alaska utilizes a ranked-choice voting system, ballots will be further tabulated on November 18 if no candidate secures a straight majority above 50 percent, with state officials aiming to certify final results by November 25.
The contest has drawn intense national attention and legal scrutiny following recent reports alleging that Democratic operatives recruited an independent candidate sharing the same name—retired schoolteacher Daniel J. Sullivan—to potentially confuse voters and siphon conservative support. Republican leaders swiftly condemned the maneuver, prompting President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene.
The Justice Department filed an amended lawsuit seeking to block the certification of election results if Senator Sullivan narrowly loses, citing excerpts from media reports regarding the independent candidate recruitment. State election officials criticized the federal legal action as meritless, arguing in court filings that the intervention casts an unwarranted shadow over the state's electoral process.
Peltola has strongly denied any personal knowledge or campaign involvement regarding the independent candidate's entry into the race. During a speech in Juneau, she stated, "I knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters." The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has also denied any participation in the candidate's recruitment.
Legal experts have noted that while the recruitment strategy has sparked intense debate over ethics and campaign tactics, candidate motives do not violate existing Alaska election laws. Meanwhile, Governor Mike Dunleavy has requested a separate state investigation into whether any laws were broken during the candidate filing process.
As election workers continue processing outstanding ballots, including overseas absentee votes that can arrive up to 15 days after Election Day, the final margin in Alaska will help determine the exact balance of power in Washington. State election officials plan subsequent updates to the vote tally over the coming weeks as the complex ranked-choice process plays out.