JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Recounts in two Anchorage-area legislative races are scheduled to take place this week, a top state elections official said Tuesday.
A recount is planned for Wednesday in the Senate District E race and for Thursday in the House District 15 race, Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai said by email. Election results were certified last week.
The recount in the Senate race was requested by Democrat Roselynn Cacy, who was the first of the three candidates in that ranked vote contest to be eliminated. The race was won by Republican Cathy Giessel, a former state Senate president. Incumbent Republican Rep. Roger Holland also competed.
Cacy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In her recount application, she cited a 14-vote difference between her and Holland after a round that took into account such things as the distribution of second choices on ballots that ranked write-ins first.
Democrat Denny Wells requested a recount in the Anchorage House race. He finished seven votes behind Republican Rep. Tom McKay after the final ranked vote tabulations. Official results showed McKay as the winner.
Wells’ campaign, in a statement, said it looks forward to “following along with the process as the state conducts its recount, resolving any questions, and establishing confidence about this election outcome in the coming weeks.”
Alaska voters in 2020 approved changes to the elections process that included ranked choice voting in general elections. This was the first year that elections in the state were held under the new system.