Early vote counts show Murkowski trailing but closing in on Tshibaka, Peltola leading, and constitutional convention losing

Early Nov. 8 election results showed Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski trailing her conservative challenger Kelly Tshibaka, 42 percent to 44 percent, and Democrat Mary Peltola, elected in August to fill out deceased Rep. Don Young’s term, well ahead of challengers Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, 44.6 percent to 27.7 percent and 25 percent respectively.

Murkowski’s gap is closing as more votes are counted, and the final outcome will depend as second-choice votes under the ranked-choice voting system are allocated

About 36 percent of voters who cast ballots were in the early count, released at 2 a.m. Nov. 9, so the results will change as more votes are counted. The final results, including reallocation of second-choice votes will show up when the final results are tallied Nov. 23.

In the senate race it is widely expected that voters choosing Pat Chelsbro, the Democrat in the U.S. Senate race, as first choice will select Murkowski as second choice, giving the incumbent senator a boost in the final result.

However, a conservative, Buzz Kelley, is also on the ballot, and while he has polled low his second choices of his voters may go to Tshibaka, also a conservative, in the final count.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy polled well ahead of his challengers, former Gov. Bill Walker and former State Rep. Les Gara in first-round voting, as was expected.

The constitutional convention was going down to a heavy defeat based on the preliminary vote, 70 percent voting no compared with 30 percent yes.

In Mat-Su state legislative races, Mat-Su assembly member Jesse Sumner led challengers Steve Menard, Rachel Allen, and Jessica Wright for the State House seat in District 28, but the ranked choice reallocation may affect this. Incumbent David Eastman led his challengers, Stu Graham and Brendan Carpenter, in House District 27.

Incumbent Rep, Kevin McCabe held a lead over challengers Doyle Holmes and Joy Mindiola im House District 30, but the vote reallocation under ranked-choice may affect the final outcome on Nov. 23.

Incumbents DeLena Johnson and Cathy Tilton hold big leads over challengers in House Districts 25 and 26 and are expected to prevail.

Incumbent Rep. George Rauscher holds a strong lead in District 29 over his challenger, Elijah Haase. Rauscher is expected to prevail in the final count.

In the Mat-Su Senate races, Incumbent Sen. Mike Shower appears to have overcome a poor showing in the August primary election, and is now leading challenger Doug Massie in Senate District O.

Incumbent Sen. Shelley Hughes held a strong lead over challenger Jim Cooper, 76 percent to 23 percent, in Senate District M. In Senate District N, incumbent Sen. David Wilson is leading in a three-way race with 44 percent of votes against challengers Scott Clayton, with 25 percent, and Stephen Wright, with 29 percent.

In the race for two Mat-Su Borough Assembly seats, incumbents Tim Hale and Stephanie Nowers hold significant leads.

Newcomers Kendal Kruse, Jacob Butcher and Ted Swanson lead races in the Mat-Su School Board election. Current member Ole Larson and newcomer Kathy McCollum ran unopposed for their seats.

This is a developing story. Continue to see frontiersman.com for more.