Mary Peltola holds narrow lead over Dan Sullivan in Alaska Senate race
Mary Peltola leads incumbent Dan Sullivan by about 600 votes, a margin of 0.3 percentage points, in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race as of early vote counts.
Key points
- Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan by roughly 600 votes, 0.3% margin.
- Alaska uses ranked‑choice voting; lowest candidate eliminated if no majority.
- Trump posted on social media urging votes for “REAL Dan Sullivan.”
- A federal lawsuit to block certification was dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge.
- The 9th Circuit will argue the case by Jan. 11, with certification scheduled Nov. 25.
With roughly three‑quarters of the ballots counted, Democratic candidate Mary Peltola holds a lead of just over 600 votes over incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, a gap described as three tenths of a percentage point.
Vote count and ranking system
Alaska’s general election uses a ranked‑choice ballot, allowing voters to rank up to four candidates. If no candidate secures an outright majority, the lowest‑performing candidate is eliminated and their votes are redistributed.
Legal challenges
President Donald Trump posted on social media urging that votes intended for the incumbent’s namesake challenger be "given" to the "REAL Dan Sullivan," while a federal lawsuit seeking to block certification of the race was dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge in Alaska.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has set a schedule for arguments on the case, with a deadline of Jan. 11, after new senators are sworn in on Jan. 3 and the Alaska race is slated for certification on Nov. 25.
"Just a few hundred votes separate Republican U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola in the state's latest preliminary results," a report noted.
Your questions, answered
How close is the Alaska Senate race between Peltola and Sullivan?
Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan by about 600 votes, a margin of 0.3 percentage points.
What voting system is used in Alaska’s Senate race?
Alaska uses a ranked‑choice ballot that allows voters to rank up to four candidates.
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