Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republican Senator Dan Sullivan by 10,412 votes in Alaska, the last uncalled US Senate race of the 2026 midterm elections. With some ballots still outstanding and no declared winner, the count will continue towards Alaska’s scheduled ranked-choice tabulation on 18 November.
Results checked on Saturday 14 November 2026. Vote totals are unofficial and reflect Alaska’s 13 November update, not a certified result.
The latest published first-choice count gives former congresswoman Peltola 138,240 votes (49.8%) against 127,828 votes (46.1%) for the two-term Republican incumbent. The other candidates are Republican Gerald Heikes on 5,885 and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on 4,560, with a further 855 write-in votes. Alaska News Source’s election results tracker reports the same breakdown from the state’s returns.
The Associated Press estimates that about 96% of expected ballots have been counted. It has not called the election. Alaska Public Media described Friday’s ballot release as adding roughly 22,500 votes and widening Peltola’s lead.
Why has Alaska’s Senate race not been called?
Peltola’s first-choice share is close to, but still below, the threshold needed to avoid ranked-choice counting. The additional votes for Heikes, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and write-in candidates matter when calculating the percentage. A rounded figure of 50.0% on some trackers should not be treated as an outright majority.
Alaska allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate has a majority of first-choice votes when eligible ballots have been counted, the state eliminates the last-place candidate and transfers ballots to the next continuing preference. The process repeats under state election rules until a winner is determined.
Peltola’s current lead is substantial, but it is not a declaration of victory. Late-arriving eligible ballots and any ranked-choice transfers still have to be accounted for.
When will the Alaska Senate result be decided?
- 18 November: deadline for qualifying overseas absentee ballots to arrive, and the state’s scheduled ranked-choice tabulation for contests requiring it.
- 25 November: Alaska’s target date to certify the election result. A media race call may come earlier, but certification is a separate official step.
The Alaska Division of Elections publishes the unofficial returns, and its official website lists the count and certification timetable.
What does the result mean for the US Senate?
Democrats have secured control of the incoming Senate regardless of who takes Alaska’s seat. A Peltola victory would give the Democratic caucus 56 seats, including independents who caucus with Democrats. If Sullivan retains his seat, that total would be 55. The new Congress begins in January 2027.
Peltola would also become the first Indigenous Alaskan elected to the US Senate if she wins. For wider context, see Fish 4 News’ 2026 midterm results overview.
What about the lawsuits involving this race?
The election has prompted two separate legal disputes. In one, the US Justice Department sought to block certification in certain circumstances, arguing that voters might confuse incumbent Dan S. Sullivan with another candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. A federal judge dismissed the case and the department appealed. The other Sullivan’s candidacy has also attracted scrutiny over allegations about recruitment, which Peltola said she knew nothing about. Those allegations do not establish that votes were cast improperly. Read our report on the federal certification lawsuit.
Separately, Peltola’s campaign sought records identifying rejected absentee ballots. On 11 November, Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews rejected its request for a centralised list at that stage, citing the practical difficulty of producing and redacting the records while votes were being counted. The ruling was about access to records, not a finding that the ballots were valid or invalid. Read our earlier report on the absentee-ballot records dispute.
What is confirmed, and what is still unknown?
- Confirmed: Peltola leads the latest published first-choice count by 10,412 votes.
- Confirmed: Alaska is the only US Senate race the Associated Press had not called as of 14 November.
- Not yet determined: whether Peltola clears the first-choice majority threshold once all eligible votes are included, or whether ranked-choice tabulation decides the seat.
- Not yet official: the final outcome and certified vote totals.
Follow this story: all Fish 4 News coverage of the 2026 Alaska Senate election. We will update this coverage when a significant new count or official result is released.
Sources
- Alaska Division of Elections: 2026 unofficial results and ranked-choice timetable
- Alaska News Source: current state election returns
- Alaska Public Media: 13 November count and legal context
- Associated Press: absentee-ballot records ruling, 11 November
- Alaska Division of Elections: certification timetable
