Contentious Senate Races: Alaska and Mississippi Updates

Alaska’s Senate race remains undecided days after November 3. Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign has filed a lawsuit against Alaska election officials, seeking information about rejected absentee ballots in the close election. The campaign asserts that this disclosure is vital to ensure all eligible votes are counted and to protect the election’s integrity. The race has been tightly contested, with a namesake challenger to incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.

The Justice Department had previously sued Alaska election officials, aiming to block certification if Sullivan lost and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.’s votes influenced the result. This lawsuit was dismissed by a state judge just before Election Day.

In this close race, a mere 600 votes separate Peltola and Sullivan. The final results could hinge on a handful of ballots mailed or flown in from remote areas. Alaska will accept overseas ballots until November 18.

“With the counting of absentee ballots and review by the questioned ballot board currently in progress, and certification deadlines rapidly approaching, each hour and each day that Defendants deny Plaintiff the requested records to which it is entitled costs Plaintiff the opportunity to help ensure that qualified voters have their ballots counted,” the lawsuit reads.

Meanwhile, Mississippi’s Senate race is also in limbo. Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith is laying groundwork for possible litigation, demanding that provisional ballots be segregated. In a letter sent to officials in Mississippi counties, her lawyers assert the measures ensure each affidavit ballot’s eligibility can be verified.

In California, the Trump administration dropped a federal lawsuit against the state over mail-in ballots allegedly cast by non-citizens. California Attorney General Rob Bonta hailed the withdrawal as a state victory.

Mary Peltola’s Lawsuit Details

Peltola’s campaign, Alaskans for Mary, sued the Alaska Division of Elections along with Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom and Director of Elections Carol Beecher. They seek records about absentee ballots rejected in the November 3 election. These records would help determine why ballots were not accepted.

The campaign claims that they can’t ensure votes are counted without knowing which absentee ballots were rejected. They requested these records in October but received no response. Follow-ups on November 4 also went unanswered. Denied access hampers the campaign’s ability to monitor the vote count.

The lawsuit asks for an Anchorage court to grant emergency relief, including a temporary restraining order to compel the state to release the records.

Alaska’s Division of Elections Response

The state Department of Law defended its decision, citing confidentiality concerns. They argue that releasing this preliminary information could create additional burdens and delay vote counting. The state has long protected this data and plans to ask the court to uphold this stance.

Peltola vs. Sullivan: Election Standings

As of Saturday, Peltola had a narrow lead over Dan Sullivan with 48.2% to his 47.9%. Other candidates, Republican Gerald Heikes and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., received 2.3% and 1.7%, respectively. Ranked choice tabulation may occur if no candidate wins outright.

Hyde-Smith vs. Colom: Race Status

Mississippi’s Senate race shows Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith trailing Democrat Scott Colom by nearly 2,000 votes. With most votes counted, Colom stands at 49.1%, while Hyde-Smith has 48.8%. Independent Ty Pinkins took 2.1% of the votes.

Colom’s win would mark a historic victory, as he could become Mississippi’s first Black senator since the Reconstruction era. Hyde-Smith seeks to maintain status amid potential Trump-backed setbacks. Mississippi will not hold runoff elections, even if no candidate reaches 50%. Hyde-Smith’s team has advised officials to separate affidavit ballots for potential legal scrutiny.