Ted Stevens leads Senate race but final results unclear for weeks

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

Comments

[Ted Stevens]

Any one who says I've been convicted is a liar! LIAR!

The internet is a series of tubes.

[J]

Unreal. The guy is crooked, he gets convicted of a crime DURING an election and apparently he's now headed for re-election. He's lived under the radar in the "outback" of the U.S. Well it's time to live under a few rules Alaska, your politicians and leaders need reeled in just a bit. Palin and Stevens both had their way with the "hands-off" nature of Alaskan politics. Only in Alaska, apparently... where they absolutely love their dear ol' Gov'nah! Is it really so hard to stay informed, Alaskans? Is it absolutely exhausting to see the forest for the trees? I'm embarrassed for you. But I'm also embarrassed for the many mainland folks who have access to so much information yet still believe the crap you're fed by the GOP spin and soundbytes.
America, it's time to wake up...

[John]

@J - It certainly boggles my mind how Stevens is even sniffing re-election (much less winning), but it needs to be pointed out that it was Governor Palin who exposed Senator Stevens (and the rest of his cronies)

[erik]

The FBI is who exposed all of our easily corruptible politicians, not Palin (I am Alaskan). You give her far too much credit. But, considering her repeatedly unethical political maneuvers, it's not surprising. You should understand: the VECO scandals gave her an "ethics" platform to win a governorship; she exposed nothing relevant to the VECO scandals. However, independent investigation has exposed her own abuses of power, not to mention her husband's hand in the same scandal--see "Troopergate." (Of course, the other investigation which disagreed with the independent one was conducted by the state's personnel department. The lead of which is a Palin appointee.)

[et]

I live in the District of Columbia.
Which elected Marion Barry to office FOUR times. So this is hardly without precedent. If the opposition could not put up a candidate capable of beating him soundly, then they need to look at themselves for answers. Pathetic though it is.

[Zhwayfe]

Well, what does a close race involving Stevens said about the voters of Alaska? That they are naive and/or ammoral? At least, then, Stevens' re-election explains much about Palin's snarky and slimy appeal.

[erik]

Oh, if it were only as simple as naivete. In fact it's much more complicated in AK than you're led to believe. Let me first say that I am a very liberal Alaskan. I believe Stevens is a cranky bastard and doesn't need to die in office much less continue to embarass us all in concert with Palin. I live in Juneau, the capital, where you'll find, if you look, that democrats always win. Does that mean we are more moral here than in Fairbanks? Not really and it's frankly insulting that you would consider us all immoral anyway. So, having said that, I'll give you the simple explanation for Stevens' showing. (I hate to admit it but) Ted Stevens' has done an unparalleled amount of good for the people of Alaska-- mostly not including Southeast AK, but hey, gotta be fair. He has brought so much money and work and infrastructure to the rural (that without would be ever so much more primitive than they are) and urban areas in his time that it's almost difficult not to vote for him. For many of us he's well past his prime and out of date and in need of replacement, but for others he's owed countless personal favors (urban) and loyalty (rural) for essential services like airstrip upkeep and electricity/heating oil subsidies (rural Alaska is far from economically prosperous).
So, to call, for instance, the Yupik population of Southwest Alaska immoral because for the past 30-odd years they've been under Stevens' wing and can't be sure that ANYbody new will help them in the same way is downright absurd. Naive that he's the only one who helps, perhaps.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and maybe the felon will be ousted. But please don't insult us like this. We are trying (with no help from the lower 48, I should add). In any case, he is our problem, not yours.

[ANNE]

Having fun Alaska bashing???
I voted for Stevens, here's why. I believe that a balance of power is important. Right now we have a democratic house, a democratic senate and a democratic president. Alaska has for many years been a republican state (for the most part). Many people I know voted for Stevens because they were concerned that Obama would be elected. This is a chance to hold onto a republican seat, even if it is not Stevens that ultimately serves. Purely political motives, right or wrong. But then you didn't give us that much credit, did you?