Opinion: Ted Stevens leads Senate race but final results unclear for weeks

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The news from Alaska:

Ted Stevens, the felonious Republican senator from Alaska who refuses to give up his seat or acknowledge that he was convicted,continues to lead Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by 3,257 votes -- 106,594 to 103,337 votes for the challenger.

But six days after the polls closed, more than 90,000 ballots have not been counted. That means nearly 29% of the vote in the race has yet to be tallied.

The Alaska division of elections intends spend Wednesday counting most of the early votes and absentee ballots that were verified on election day, according to Alaska officials, as relayed by Times correspondent Kim Murphy.

The department will count the remaining ballots on Friday -- though it’s all obviously subject to change. There could be enough ballots left after Wednesday’s count for the race to still go either way.

Overseas ballots must be received by Nov. 19. Election officials plan to certify the election on Nov. 25.

Of course, there could always be a recount.

-- Dan Morain

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--Photo credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP