The ballot counting continued in some legislative races Tuesday, one week after results from most House and Senate districts put Republicans in charge of both houses. Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, emerged with a two-vote lead over political newcomer Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in his bid for re-election — 4,054 votes to 4,052. Coming into the day, Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democrat from Sitka, held a 43-vote lead. “It makes Six Flags look like a walk in the park,” Kreiss-Tomkins said. “It’s been up and down, a rollercoaster.”
And it’s not over: Friday is the deadline for the state to receive by-mail ballots mailed from within the United States, and Nov. 21 is the deadline to receive ballots mailed from overseas or military addresses.
Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai could not immediately say Tuesday evening how many ballots remained outstanding; she said the immediate focus was on counting ballots. Counting was to continue Wednesday.
On Tuesday, election officials counted a wave of absentee and question ballots, and there were hopes the process could bring closure to a handful of still-tight races.
Full Article: Ballot counting continues in Alaska legislative races after last week’s elections.