Alaska’s first election results expected by 9 pm Tuesday; ranked-choice count comes Nov. 18

THE ALASKA STORY

ov. 2, 2026 – Alaskans watching Tuesday’s election returns can expect the first numbers around 8:45 to 9 pm Alaska time. But in close races, knowing who won could take another two weeks.

The Alaska Division of Elections outlined its reporting schedule in a notice to the media, saying results will be updated repeatedly on election night. Ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 18, after all eligible ballots have been counted. The target date for certification is Nov. 25.

That means election night will offer a first look at where the races stand, while leaving potentially decisive ballots still to be counted.

Where to watch the returns

The Division will publish results through its website, elections.alaska.gov, and notify the media and post on social media when the first results are available.

Voters should expect multiple updates throughout the evening and potentially into the following morning. The Division has not promised a fixed interval between reports. It said it will identify the final update for the night or morning.

Those wishing to be at the Bernadette Wilson for Governor election night party, where The Alaska Story will be live-streaming, must RSVP to the campaign:

Alaska follows a counting schedule that extends 15 days beyond the general election to accommodate eligible ballots arriving from overseas.

According to the Division’s media notice, the typical schedule includes an Election Day count, followed by counts seven, 10, and 15 days after the election. Additional updates may occur between those dates.

For the Nov. 3 election, those milestones are:

The Division’s ballot-counting schedule says early ballots cast at regional elections offices through the Thursday before Election Day are counted on election night. Voters should therefore avoid assuming that every ballot cast before Tuesday will appear in Tuesday’s totals.

As later ballots are added, candidates’ totals and margins can change.

What the ranked-choice delay means

The election-night standings will not include the later rounds of ranked-choice tabulation.

The Division’s 2026 general election results page says ranked-choice results will not be available until Nov. 18, once all eligible ballots have been reviewed and counted.

For races that require additional rounds, the candidate leading in first-choice votes on Tuesday night may not be the eventual winner. Voters following a close contest will need to watch both the remaining ballot count and the subsequent ranked-choice results.

Ballot measures and judicial retention questions do not involve ranked-choice transfers, although their totals can also change as additional ballots are counted.

Tracking ballots and certification

For readers who want to follow how many early, absentee, and questioned ballots are in the system, the Division posts a combined ballot report on its statistics page. Those reports track ballot activity; they are separate from the vote totals showing how candidates and measures are performing.

Nov. 25 is the Division’s target for certification, rather than a promised election-night finish.

The Division’s notice also cited Alaska Statute 15.15.450, which provides for certification after completion of the state ballot counting review. The director certifies candidate and judicial retention results, while the lieutenant governor certifies the results of initiatives, referendums, and constitutional amendments.

For Alaskans planning an election-night watch party, the practical expectation is straightforward: The first results should arrive before 9 pm, updates will continue through the night, and close races could remain unresolved until the Nov. 18 ranked-choice count.