Alaska Election Central Report
Scott's lovely wife Romee McAdams and daughter Kaity at the Club Soroya campaign party
8:40pm
The polls have been closed for 40 minutes. Sitting here at Election Central in Anchorage. No results yet.
The place is packed with local and national media. None of the candidates are here yet. This is as busy as I’ve ever seen it. Check back for updates. I’ll be posting information as I get it. In the meantime… we wait.
Midtown Rep Berta Gardner, who ran unopposed, and husband Mike at Club Soroya
9:00
Polls closed for one hour and still nothing. Never seen it this late.
Shannyn interviews Vince Beltrami at Election Central
10:08pm
Don Young has entered the building. Guess what he had on his arm? Yes, the Mayor’s party planner. No, I am not kidding. This may require a trip to the beer garden.
There are chants of Don Young! Don Young! Don Young! Whoops and hollers. He’s doing the rounds with the TV stations. Lots of sign wavers with the same yellow sign he’s had for probably all 20 terms.
Don Young, sans party planner
10:20
Scott McAdams is in the house. Cheers went up from all corners of the room. Overheard opponents’ supporters talking about what a great campaign he ran. He’s talking to TV right now and saying we’re waiting for the numbers from Southeast Alaska and Bush Alaska to come in.
Scott McAdams gives an inspiring and moving speech at Club Soroya
10:30
Bill Wielechowski (the best Bill in Juneau) is in the house. Looks like he held his seat. So did Pete Petersen who faced tough opposition from a Karpetbagger from Kodiak. Chris Tuck also kept his spot in the legislature. All three of them are definitely “good guys.” We need to appreciate these victories which really mean a lot too.
10:48
Sean Parnell (R) has entered with scads of red balloons and cowbells. Interviewing with Mead Treadwell on Channel 2. He has taken the governor’s race.
Gov. Sean Parnell & new Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell (who has also been spotted around town with the party planner...whew!)
**Pictures dropped-in by Linda so don’t blame AKM, I’m still getting to know my telephoto lens**
Moose Pucky appreciating all those good guys–and most especially Team McAdams.
Here’s to the McAdams Family!!
If Haines and Skagway had their way, Scott McAdams would be our next Senator from Alaska.
Haines: McAdams 37.5%, Lisa 36%, Miller 26.5%
Skagway: McAdams 40%, Lisa 36%, Miller 24%
Alaska, I’m sorry we won’t get to call Scott McAdams the junior senator from the great state of Alaska — YET! Now, more people know who he is and that he’s all about Alaska. The future bodes well for him. Really a shame about SP 2.0 and Yon Dung.
Hey Mudpups….back in Ireland. Just catching up with the election results. Keeping my fingers crossed for McAdams.
Look across the map. Rand paul, for cryin out loud…Stoopid is the new normal.
Tears in my beer…..goin to bed…..
Josh and 13-yr-old Morrigan came with me tonight to Club Soroya and Election Central. When the returns started to come in and Morrigan saw Scott’s 25%, she started to cry. Throughout the night, I hugged her and explained that the really good news is that Scott is a talented leader who may never have come to light had he not courageously jumped into a race no one else wanted. It’s not the end for him, it’s just the beginning.
You tell that young lady the McMentum is still perking right along and she will have her own chance to vote for him very soon!
It’s so rare to see someone with the courage, determination, and spirit Mr McAdams has run for office. It’s even rarer to see someone hit the ground running like he did , the day after the primary, while we were all trying to absorb the upset in the R world here.
Tell her she saw something in his candidacy to value all her life 🙂
Reflecting on all of this — some questions:
How will the write-in votes be accepted/rejected and counted? Who will do that? Who will supervise? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
How will the absentee votes — which will probably include many write-ins — be accepted/rejected and counted? Who will do that? Who will supervise? WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
And how do we know it will be done fairly?
I hope some pesky bloggers and reporters tell us all about it.
I believe that the absentee votes will be counted first. Then, every write-in vote needs to be checked at Division of Elections. I’m not sure if an observer from each campaign will be there, or if it will only be from the Miller and Murkowski Campaigns. However, there will be observers and the non-Murkowski ones will be inspecting the votes very carefully to make sure there are no mistakes.
I’m not going to say anything whiny, disappointed or negative about my state. I will keep all of that to myself for the moment, and post instead of a wonderful phone call I received today while traveling out of state.
Scott Adams called me to say thank you for all the hard work and how much it meant to him. I hope every single volunteer got that call – and yet when I think of how many there are, Scott is going to be hoarse tonight! What a grateful, kind and smart man he is. I’m here and ready for the next round, Scott!
Awwww …
That says it all. How many candidates show that much sincerety and integrity?
Good job, MUYS!!! — and ALL MUDPUPS!!!
Amen — next round. In Alaska, and in Washington too.
McAdams, geez…
1148pm ADT, with 78 percent of precincts in now,
McAdams, Scott T. 44454 24.15%
Miller, Joe 64212 34.89%
Write-in Votes 73551 39.96%
Same percentages. Time to call it a night.
Rick, I think this is just too strange. It hasn’t hardly changed for over an hour! What are they doing???
Have you seen Christine O’Donnell’s new ad? ” I am not a Senator . . . “
You are too funny –
I think overall, it was a good night for the country. Outside of Rand Paul, I can’t think of a single Sarah/Tea Party backed candidate that won.
The Tea Party cost the Repubs the Senate for sure. They had DE locked up, and any normal Repub could have beaten Harry Reid in NV. The Tea Party probably helped in the House, but the were going to do well there anyway. Per Kos, 24 of the Dem losses in the house were Blue Dogs, so they don’t really count!
Ah, a positive take on things!
Only problem now is, we have to deal with Mr. Fake-N-Bake.
After calls at McAdams office, I was at Election Central for a while. I was having a great discussion with someone who turned out to be a Miller supporter, then we had a rousing dialogue for a while which was quite fun, and I think I challenged some of her thinking – she also likes Sarah, so then I really had a good time disputing many of Sarah’s favorite diatribes. But, in the spirit of the rally to restore sanity, we eventually found common ground around our cats and dogs. Well, you gotta start somewhere.
I saw the aforementioned entry of Scott and Don Young. Really hated that cowbell, it was quite rude.
Also saw our Celtic Diva.
I was considering hanging out for some time, but am exhausted from a long weekend of tending my ailing dog-friend. Home to keep company with my mourning cat. She misses her buddy. Me, too.
We go on to fight another day.
Writing From AK — {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
Sounds like you need a good rest! You were there all night, making calls up to the very last minute.
And then we hear you’ve lost your buddy.
Believe me, I would have been home mourning. You are a true saint, and so is your buddy dog.
{{{ }}}
Thanks – I have to admit, I knew some mudpuppy would send me a virtual hug if I shared that information. My dog was from Wasilla, but I know he would have preferred Scott so he would have approved – 🙂 Big friendly dogs like big friendly guys.
{{{{{ WRITING FROM ALASKA !!! }}}}}
Ahhhh…I’m so sorry you had to say goodbye to a dear furry friend. What a trooper you are that you were in the middle of all that entailed and working on Scott’s campaign. I hope you got that personal call from Scott thanking his volunteers. You went above and beyond – and we love you for it.
{{{{{{ }}}}}}}}s back
God and the universe says it is OK.
{{{{{{{{{{{{ Writing from Alaska & cat }}}}}}}}}}}}}
La Sarah is doing everything possible to let Lisa know she’s welcome in the GOP. As you can well imagine. She might help make it a 54-46 senate.
Forgot to explain —
Absentees have to fill everything out absolutely correctly, or they’re thrown out. This includes an additional oath they have to swear and get witnessed. (Many neglect to do this and are rejected.)
If they do a WRITE-IN, **then** they have to:
1) fill in the oval for write-in
2) write in “Lisa Murkowski”
Let’s see how many passed the test. Whaddaya think? 50%? 80%?
Maasi’ choo for the info.
Presumably people voting “write-in” would be no more or less likely to not get the witness and oath than the others. Some will be filled in not correctly, but given the stability of the vote. Maybe absentee ballots might lean toward Miller, I don’t know. But they’d really have to be a lot different than tonights vote to make up the difference. IMO.
Rick, I think many of the late-reporting precincts will be pro-Miller. Just a guess, based on local sentiment here and what I’ve heard from other bush towns. Not my wish, at all; but an observation.
Even with AFNs push for Lisa?
ahhh — good question …..
but still, we’ll have to see how many of those write-ins passed the test, I guess.
Can she actually beat him with only a 4% margin with a write-in candidacy? I give her a 50/50 chance. Strange that Miller would just go home and not visit election central. But then again, he’s pretty strange!
If the current percentages hold, that would require something like 10% of the write-ins to be either for someone else (and there surely are some) or thrown out. Given that all of these had the little oval filled in correctly (hence machine counted), I would be surprised if that many get tossed. Not that Joe won’t try.
Yep, there will be MANY challenges on the write-in votes.
So…once most of the votes are counted, and assuming “Write-In” stays ahead, is there a time line for the name count? In other words, what’s the best guess for when we know that Miller definitely lost and Lesser (of-Two-Evils) Murkowski won?
McAdams does seem like a nice guy. He’s still young. I hope he tries again in 2016.
It’s amazing that the percentages for US Senator have hardly changed since the first report from DOE. I would guess this means that unless an awful lot of people wrote “Lisa M”, Lisa will be going back to the senate. By June.
by June — if they get the votes counted by then!
OR — they’ve just given up counting now, since they know it’s going into triple overtime …
68% of precincts reporting at 1048PM ADT
McAdams, Scott T. 41383 24.36%
Miller, Joe 59997 35.32%
Write-in Votes 66810 39.33%
Scott on MSNBC just now…great!!!!
ok, going there now …
no TV- what’s he saying? please…
justa – pi —
went to msnbc and tried to get it, but couldn’t. Couldn’t find by googling news either.
i couldn’t find it online either YBG- darn
Gotta go to bed- have to be at work early!
We worked hard folks.
We gained something with Mr McAdams’ campaign we haven’t had for a long time! Dignity and self respect with a dash of humor…
Oops, that’s Scott himself…
Well, we got hope.
Let’s hang on to it
Whatever comes now, we’ll be up to it.
Justafarmer –
We’re having a hard time getting it. What did Scott say????
I start my new job tomorrow. Gotta get some sleep. Love all you mudpups ((((YBG and ALL))))
{{{LMD}}}
{{{AK PI}}}
{{{MUDPUPS!!!}}}
I voted early. I guess my vote doesn’t count…again….
???
How can an early vote not be counted ????
(Just a stupid question.)
I think early votes are counted tonight but absentee ballots will not even be started to be counted until next week. Can someone confirm or correct that?
Rick, they said tonight that absentees wouldn’t be totaled until Nov. 18.
“When are early and in-person absentee ballots counted?
The Division of Elections counts all early and in-person absentee ballots that are eligible to be counted from election night through up to 15 days after the election. The dates and times when early and in-person absentee ballots are counted will be determined prior to each election.”
http://www.elections.alaska.gov/vi_ea_ev_ip_about.php
can’t find dates
Thanks 🙂
During the primary in my state the early votes were counted while voting was going on.At least in my smaller village.The poll person opened the envelope and checked to make sure the person was registered than put the ballot in the machine to be counted. Don’t know how other states or cities do it.Maybe because of the smaller turnout it could be done that way where in the bigger cities it could not be done
IT COUNTS LMD!!!!!!
Your vote always counts!
We just have to sway more folks so you are not having to offset so darn many of them ! 🙂
1027pm ADT update from DOE has “write-in” up by 5500 votes with 58% reporting.
do you see the dinky % of votes/reg voters on so many of the races?
anyone have an idea just how many absenteee and early ballots are out there?
ADN is quoting Division of Elections as saying more than 42000 absentee ballots were sent out.
That’s just the absentee ?
wow
Wow, you’ve got to be kidding! Could be history-making (depending upon who “write-in” is).
Rick, upon further consideration, I don’t think anyone can count on that.
58% is a good chunk — BUT they don’t have the remote precincts in yet. I’ll bet a dollar-to-donuts that Miller wins the rural/bush vote. Hope I’m wrong, but that’s my prediction.
Up late watching all the returns which I say that I don’t really care about…ooommmmmm…fingers and toes crosses for Scott, a really delicious person; and a really good person, at heart, for Alaska and for all of us. He reminds me of an Uncle who was just as genuine as he is, and I know that they’re hard to find.
All the best, Alaska!
Love,
M.
Late night wishes for AK ………… NV did it, you can too!
This pisses me off. If all the people that voted for Ethan and Dianne had voted their values instead of their fears, Scott McAdams would be our next U.S. Senator.
Report circulating through the forest:
If Haines and Skagway had their way, Scott McAdams would be our next Senator from Alaska.
Haines: McAdams 37.5%, Lisa 36%, Miller 26.5%
Skagway: McAdams 40%, Lisa 36%, Miller 24%
Way to go, Haines and Skagway! Pockets of sanity in AK.
1005pm ADT update from DOE has “write-in” up by 6000; Ballot Measure 1 going down hard. Scott is not going to win, but this election has given him lots of exposure and experience. I hope he’ll consider running for a Federal position in the future.
Last update: 11/2 9:44 pm AKST
175 of 438 precincts reporting
Write-In Votes 38,727 39.45%
Joe Miller (R) 33,990 34.62%
Scott T. McAdams (D) 24,430 24.88%
Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/20/1511244/2010-unofficial-general-election.html#ixzz14CGJ3DzX
they just updated on state page
US SENATOR
Number of Precincts 438
Precincts Reporting 220 50.2 %
Times Counted 128177/494876 25.9 %
McAdams, Scott T. DEM 31518 24.79%
Miller, Joe REP 44159 34.73%
Write-in Votes 50187 39.47%
http://soaelections.gci.net/data/results.pdf
Don’t forget 1000s of early and absentee votes are hanging out waiting to be counted too…
Yon Dung too….ick
Write in votes have to be hand counted. Won’t happen until Nov 18th.
Parnell? Are you serious? Parnell? Arrrrrrgh! beth.
i felt the same way. and miller doing better than mcadams? i love the mudflats but in all honesty i do not get alaskans. at all.
9:22 pm
Write-In Votes 33,672 39.66%
Joe Miller (R) 29,242 34.45%
Scott T. McAdams (D) 21,072 24.82%
Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/20/1511244/2010-unofficial-general-election.html#ixzz14C9F2XU2
I’m in AK, in a very small rural interior Red town. Am sure our town went for Miller (although I didn’t!!).
But — I went to the AK State website, and there are no results for the ballot propositions. Does anyone know if they’re posted anywhere? Just wondering — the addition of more representatives for the Interior could be a good thing …
Hi YBG!!!! where ya been?
I went out and waved signs for Scott today. got flipped off twice. That was fun…..not.
I’m wondering how many absentee votes there are out there and how many of them were for Scott.
They’re saying 40% for Leasa right now.
Now the lawyering up begins.
LMD – I’m sure there are quite a few absentee votes from our little town alone — and if you multiply that by all the little towns in Alaska, well … I think they’d better hold their count until Nov. 18.
And then the WRITE-INS! I am so-very-glad (!!!) I’m not sitting around counting those ballots! It’s going to be nasty.
YBG,
Those results are hiding in there, after all the house races and before the judicial retention. Latest with 40% of precincts reporting was:
PROPOSITION A
YES 59094 62.41%
NO 35599 37.59%
PROPOSITION B
YES 56790 59.32%
NO 38951 40.68%
BALLOT MEASURE #1
YES 38372 40.40%
NO 56612 59.60%
link I put up above includes all propositions, other races, judges etc…
8 pages o stuff
Thanks guys — don’t know how I missed it! Sure would be good if the huge Interior district gets a little more representation!
Hi LoveMyDogs!
Hi Pi!
Hi YBG!
been missing you!
voted for more reps but not looking so hot right now.
See Alaska Pi’s reply at #5 above, & click the link. It’s all there.
I’m in AK, in a very small rural interior Red town. Am sure out town went for Miller (although I didn’t!!).
But — I went to the AK State website, and there are no results for the ballot propositions. Does anyone know if they’re posted anywhere? Just wondering — the addition of more representatives for the Interior could be a good thing …
Looks like write-in wins, ok who voted for themself?
Murkowski up 5% overwith 39% Miller with Mcadams @ 25%
Watching from here in FL while I also wait to see if we’re going to have crooked CEO Rick Scott as governor. I cannot believe this FL race is so close – what are the good folks of this strange state thinking? Best wishes to Scott McAdams – I’m keeping fingers crossed.
We kicked Rick Scott out of KY years ago. You’re in for a rough ride. We’re with you though now that we’re stuck with that dreadful Rand Paultard. I lived in Key West when Lawton Chiles was Gov., those were the days!
waiting, waiting, waiting…
1am in DC. I’m exhausted, but can’t go to bed before I hear a report from AK. I feel so emotionally invested in this race. Good news soon, I hope!
I was a poll watcher today for a precinct. Scott finished 3rd, 20 votes behind joe and 80 points behind write-ins. There was a 50% voter turn out for this precinct between early voting and those voting today. This is a red-leaning precinct. Hopefully Scott has done better in other places; most importantly Joe needs to lose….
Sigh….
hang on neighbor! hang on! whatever happens it has been a good solid run- !
http://soaelections.gci.net/data/results.pdf
1st numbers in
Laying in bed at 1:00 AM hoping for news from AK before my battery dies!
Thanks for posting that, had to get my cord my battery was down. Come on Alaska!
keeping fingers crossed for McAdams
tap, tap, tappedy, tap, tap…
not very good at waiting…
people said I’d get patience with age…
so far all I’ve gotten is age…
tap, tap…
OY !! am on tenterhooks waiting to hear how it goes up there !!