Alaska Judge Weighs Peltola Lawsuit Seeking Data On Rejected Absentee Ballots
An Alaska state judge in Anchorage heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit by Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign seeking detailed data on rejected absentee ballots in the state's still-uncalled US Senate race.[1]
Lawyers for Peltola pressed the court to order election officials to quickly release information about absentee ballots that have been rejected or flagged for potential disqualification, arguing the campaign needs the data to monitor the count and decide on legal options in a contest that could hinge on relatively small numbers of votes.[2] State election officials, represented by the Alaska Division of Elections, have defended their handling of ballot information and said they are following state law on what can be disclosed and when.[1]
As of Tuesday afternoon, November 10, Peltola led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan by about 2,500 votes with an estimated 76% of ballots counted statewide, leaving the race too close to call.[3] Peltola was just over 1 percentage point short of the more than 50% of first-choice votes needed to win outright and avoid Alaska's ranked choice instant-runoff process.[3] Under state rules, if no candidate crosses that majority threshold once all initial ballots are tallied, election officials will run a ranked choice tabulation on November 18, redistributing votes from the last-place candidates based on voters' next preferences until someone passes 50%.[3]
The legal fight comes as Alaska continues to receive and count absentee ballots, especially those mailed from outside the United States, which can arrive as late as November 18 and still be accepted if they were sent by Election Day.[3] That long window for overseas voters means the pool of absentee ballots, and the subset that may be rejected over missing signatures, identification problems or other technical issues, could still grow even as campaigns try to track potential paths to victory. The Peltola campaign's lawsuit attempts to pull that process into clearer view, arguing that without prompt disclosure of rejected-ballot data, campaigns and the public are left guessing about how many votes are being set aside and why.[1]
Alaska officials are working toward a November 25 target date to certify the election results, after the overseas ballot deadline and the ranked choice tabulation are complete.[3] Under state law, an automatic recount is triggered only in the event of a tie; otherwise, any candidate who wants a recount must request one within five days of certification, a decision that will likely depend in part on how many ballots were rejected and on what grounds.[3] With control of a closely divided Senate potentially affected by a handful of still-uncalled races around the country, the judge's ruling on how transparent Alaska must be about its absentee rejections could shape not only the final outcome in this contest but how vigorously it is challenged afterward.
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📌 Key Facts
- As of the afternoon of Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Democrat Mary Peltola led Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s Senate race by about 2,500 votes with an estimated 76% of ballots counted, according to PBS News.
- At that point in the tally, Peltola was just over 1 percentage point short of an outright majority needed to win the Senate seat.
- Under Alaska’s election rules described by PBS News, if no candidate surpasses 50% of the vote, the state will conduct ranked choice tabulation on November 18, 2026.
- Alaska’s policy for absentee voting allows ballots mailed from outside the United States to be accepted until November 18, 2026—15 days after Election Day—extending the counting window for overseas voters.
- The state’s target date for certifying election results is November 25, 2026, as reported by PBS News.
- Under Alaska law detailed by PBS News, recounts are automatic only in the event of a tie; otherwise, candidates have five days after certification to request a recount.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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- As of the afternoon of Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Democrat Mary Peltola led Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s Senate race by about 2,500 votes with an estimated 76% of ballots counted.
- Peltola was just over 1 percentage point short of an outright majority; if no candidate surpasses 50%, Alaska will conduct ranked choice tabulation on November 18, 2026.
- Alaska accepts absentee ballots mailed from outside the United States until November 18, 15 days after Election Day, extending the counting window for overseas voters.
- The state’s target date for certifying election results is November 25, 2026, and recounts are automatic only in the event of a tie; otherwise candidates have five days after certification to request a recount.