Outcome of Alaska legislative races unsure pending final ballot counts
Published Friday, November 14, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Waiting anxiously for the outcome of Alaska’s 2008 election?
Don’t hold your breath.
Even though more than 50,000 ballots were counted around the state on Wednesday, plenty of ballots remain, and several major races are teetering, pending those results.
The next wave of statewide results probably won’t be ready until late Tuesday, although some Fairbanks legislative races could be called today.
That will depend on how many of the 7,368 outstanding ballots in Region 3, centered in Fairbanks, are counted today and how many are held through the weekend for a tally on Monday.
Those votes will help determine the winners of a key Alaska Senate contest and three close Alaska House races.
Candidates in those races have so far been cautious about declaring victory or acknowledging defeat.
The state will only automatically recount races in a dead tie, Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai said.
Contests separated by a half-percent or 20 votes, can be recounted at the state’s expense at a candidate’s request after a final election certification, which is expected the week of Dec. 1.
Still remaining statewide are 40,721 ballots to be counted by the statutory deadline Wednesday, Fenumiai said. Those include 25,620 absentee ballots, 169 early votes and 14,932 questioned ballots.
The count is taking a while because of an extensive process designed to prevent duplicate votes. All absentee and early votes are being cross-checked against a name registry of people who voted at Alaska polls on Nov. 4, Fenumiai said.
Those who weren’t listed on poll registries at precincts Nov. 4 were given questioned ballots. Election workers then have to determine eligibility of those voters.
Some absentee ballots could still be in the mail en route to Alaska election officials. Absentee ballots postmarked Nov. 4 and mailed from overseas will be accepted through Wednesday. Those postmarked domestically are due today.
Fenumiai isn’t expecting many more absentee ballots statewide. Fewer than 15 absentee votes arrived in the mail Thursday in Anchorage.
“They’re trickling in now in the mail,” she said. “There are just very few, though.”
In Region 3, all remaining questioned ballots and possibly some absentee ballots will be counted starting about 11 a.m. today. Remaining absentee ballots will be tallied starting 10 a.m. Monday.
Ballots still to be counted in Region 3 include:
• 1,339 absentee ballots, 118 early votes and 439 questioned ballots in District 6, where Rep. Woodie Salmon, a Democrat, has a 505-vote lead over Republican Ward Sattler;
• 680 absentee ballots in District 7, where incumbent Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican, holds a tenuous 32-vote lead over Democratic challenger Karl Kassel;
• 861 absentee and 605 questioned ballots in District 8, where incumbent Rep. David Guttenberg, a Democrat, has emerged the winner with 2,156 more votes than Republican Will Finley;
• 568 absentee ballots in District 9, where Rep. Scott Kawasaki, a Democrat, maintained a 280-vote edge on challenger Sue Hull, a Republican;
• 427 absentee ballots in District 10, where Rep. Jay Ramras, the Republican incumbent, has a 233-vote hold on Democrat John Brown;
• 423 absentee and 898 questioned ballots in District 11, where Rep. John Coghill, a Republican, has secured his seat with a 5,156-vote lead on Corey Allen, a Democrat;
• 590 absentee and 420 questioned ballots in District 12, where incumbent Rep. John Harris, a Republican, beat Democrat Nancy Lethcoe by 2,839 votes; and
• 995 absentee ballots in Senate District E, where Democrat Joe Paskvan has a 391-vote lead against Republican Cynthia Henry.
All early votes in Region 3 have been counted with the exception of those in District 6.
Also, some questioned ballots marked for the presidential race still have to be counted in several Fairbanks-area districts.
Statewide results of outstanding ballots could trickle in through next week.
Region 1, in Southeast, has more than 8,000 absentee ballots needing to be counted.
Those are scheduled to be tallied Tuesday.
Region 2, the Anchorage area, has more than 7,700 absentee and almost 8,000 questioned ballots to go. Those also are set to be counted Tuesday.
Community Discussion
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This election is going on forever. Ak neds to figure out how to count votes in a timely manner.
Don't really know Karl Kassel, but do know Mike Kelly...Alaska needs Mike Kelly back in the legislature working toward energy solutions so badly needed. His social views are also in line with the majority of Alaskans. Ways need to be found to complete the tie-lines in Southeast Alaska so intergration of our Hydro assets, in that area of Alaska are better employed. Our vast re-newable hydro resourses in Centeral Alaska need to be developed so long term affordable energy is made available to the entire rail belt. PCE programs need to be avanced in a way to bring affordable energy to the small percentage of Alaskan's currently non-grid connected.
If you wanted energy solutions you should have voted for Kassel. Kelly opposed every idea brought forward in regards to energy.
"This election is going on forever. Ak neds to figure out how to count votes in a timely manner."
Just relax skinfish, we will all know who won soon enough. I would rather they get an accurate vote a week or 2 late then have ballot tampering. The former is a minor thing as most, but the latter undermines the whole democratic process.
Fairbanks gas - if your idea of energy solutions is to give people the money we should be investing in the infrastructure for our kids then yes, you are right - Kelly opposed that stuff.
It is sad that this is Alaskans views of fixing the energy crisis - I want mine and forget the future. Do your research, Kelly voted for energy efficiency and for the renewable energy fund, but against the programs that only spend money today - like the $1200. Politically studpid, but then again it is nice to see at least a few legislators stand up for what is right.
It is the selfish, self-absorbed attitude your post demonstrates that is killing Alaska. When did it become about us and not about building a better Alaska in the long run? Oil is below $60 and our budget isn't going to balance...hmmmm, that $1200 cost more than 2x the energy efficiency program and renewable energy fund COMBINED...bet our kids will wished we'd listened to Mike Kelly.
"It is the selfish, self-absorbed attitude your post demonstrates that is killing Alaska. When did it become about us and not about building a better Alaska in the long run? Oil is below $60 and our budget isn't going to balance...hmmmm, that $1200 cost more than 2x the energy efficiency program and renewable energy fund COMBINED."
I think the 1200 dollars was a mistake and thus find myself in agreement with Kelly on this one. It was just throwing money at the problem. It did very little for the ones in most need, the bush communities where gas is $10 a gallon, as is milk, but gave every man woman and child in Anchorage 1200 to go blow on video games, flat screens and trips to Honolulu. I will go a step further and say that the P-fund dividend has run its course and should be ended, or phased out over the next few years and the money should go for infrastructure to make Alaska a more viable place to live. There are so many projects, in the bush, railbelt, panhandle that could benefit tremendously, (both from the project itself and the jobs it would create) from this money but there is more to it then that. With the past presidential campaign and corruption trial placing Alaska under the microscope, people in the lower 49 know more about us then ever before. They know that we receive more federal dollars per capita and they know about our permanent fund. This knowledge is going to hurt us, and it rubs salt in the wounds of our fellow citizens to the south that we get sizable checks every year from the profits of the energy that they spend money on. It is going to make it much more tough to get fed dollars in the future and the dividend program will become the new "bridge to nowhere" when they think of us here in Alaska.
Oh there you go again roosterbrains! Do you even live in this state? Are you a freaking socialist or something? Maybe infrastructure, such as installing storage tanks at Nenana so fuel from N.P. could be sent DOWNRIVER to the villages at half the cost of the fuel that is now coming up from the lower 48. Maybe some of those plastic gas lines could be ran to villages along the river so the villages could have a cheaper source of heat for their homes and thus wouldn't freeze to death. That annual 3200 (and shrinking rapidly) doesn't go far with $10 gas and $10 dollar milk, but with some new power sources (and even jobs too) from wind, gas, hydro in some areas it would more then make up for the welfare check they get now. I find the hypocrisy of republicans such as yourself who on any normal day would stone a welfare mother to death, will defend their "god given right" to their welfare check from the state, and that is somehow "different". As to my check, I would gladly give it up to see some of these badly needed projects get off the ground, but until that day I will use it to partially offset the inefficient infrastructure system we have at present.
And the topic is
"Outcome of Alaska legislative races unsure pending final ballot counts"
And my non-Attention Deficit Disorder comment is:
Its nice to see, that at least for the moment, that most Alaskans have decided not to vote for a convicted felon.
"Are you one of those pipeline settlers who like to act like you were born here? "
Born at St. Joseph's Hospital 54 years ago. No, I didn't blow in here in 75 for the money and then stayed for the money. I would have found a way to live here if the oil wealth had never been found.
"You know if you don't apply, they won't send that check "
Yes, but it wont put that money into infrastructure, but will only serve to make everyone else's check an infinitesimally small amount larger. I will continue to cash my check, after all you would have me labeled a socialist for not supporting Sarah! How about you rooster? How do you justify your state handing out free money to you on an annual basis?
I can agree with most of that rooster. I just think that if money was used for say, a Susitna sized project for the railbelt, and other projects unique for the other regions requirements, it would in the long run help this state more then a handout every year does. It is obviously not black and white but I think we would benefit more from the jobs created to build energy infrastructure and the spin off savings in energy as well as the likelihood of industry starting up around a stable priced energy source that would last for generations, long after the oil has been pumped dry.
Now what was the subject of this blog? Oh yeah ballot counting.. go Mark!
Hey Akbear and Rooster-
You two sound like all our friends. Sortta long on BS until you agree.
Congradulations! We hear you everyday.
So keep it up even if we don't have to agree with you. And thank the almighty and Sarah P. you were not 798ers.
akbearable, good discussion today.
Yes it has been. It is amazing how much easier it is to have a good exchange of ideas when the insults (from each of us) gets set aside. I suspect that is true with most everyone on here.
Mike Kelly now leading Karl Kassel by one vote.
Come on...I REALLY want to see Mike Kelly gone, although thankfully I live just on the other side of the border with his district and am represented by David Guttenberg instead.
Begich up by 1061..
Go Mark!
"And the topic is
"Outcome of Alaska legislative races unsure pending final ballot counts"
And my non-Attention Deficit Disorder comment is:
Its nice to see, that at least for the moment, that most Alaskans have decided not to vote for a convicted felon."
I'd vote for a felon whos party opposes the new President, because I believe in the American system of nobody happy government. Even if Stevens goes to jail (And I'm sure Bush will pardon him at the last minute, like Clinton did with that israeli spy), he's be replaced by a differant Republican.
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