Alaska Senate race unresolved, with weekslong process possible

Control of the U.S. Senate has already been decided in Democrats' favor, but the Alaska contest was still open Wednesday and may take weeks to settle. CBS News estimates that the race between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola is a toss-up, with roughly three-quarters of ballots tallied by the morning after Election Day.

The delay stems from Alaska's ranked-choice system, in which voters list candidates by preference. A candidate who wins a majority of first-choice votes avoids a second round. If nobody does, the ranked-choice tabulation waits until the final ballot count, which happens 15 days after the election. Two other names appear on the ballot: Gerald Heikes, another Republican, and Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher running as an independent who shares the incumbent's name and has drawn notice for it.

Democrats have already captured enough seats for a majority, including wins in states President Trump carried by double digits in 2024. Alaska could enlarge that edge or give Republicans a modest consolation by limiting further losses. Mississippi's Senate race also remained undecided. Peltola told reporters the wait would stretch to weeks, not hours or days, adding that Alaskans are patient.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →