Parnell, Walker Race Hangs By A Hair

Alaska’s governor’s race is too close to call at this hour.  After all precincts were counted Tuesday night, unaffiliated  candidate Bill Walker led incumbent Republican Sean Parnell. The Walker/ Mallot ticket has 47.8 percent of the vote, while the Parnell/ Sullivan team has 46. 4 percent.

But about 22 thousand absentee and questioned ballots have yet to be counted.

Walker maintained caution in his comments at Tuesday night’s election central in Anchorage.

“It’s probably too close to call, and there lots more votes to count out there. I know some of them are rural Alaska. We should probably do pretty well in rural Alaska. So, I think, you know, we’ll see. Like I say, we’ll be waiting until the last vote is in.”

Parnell held the early campaign edge in his quest for a second full term. But the race grew increasingly close after Democratic gubernatorial primary winner Byron Mallot joined forces with Walker

“Well, we’re ahead, so that’s history. It is good, so we’ll see. We’ll see when the last vote is counted, so.”

Unofficial election results show that Republican Dan Sullivan has taken the US Senate seat, besting Democratic incumbent Mark Begich with 48 .7 percent of the vote.

Republican incumbent Don Young has won his 22nd term in the US House, defeating challenger Forrest Dunbar.

Alaskan voters also approved a hike in the minimum wage, and restrictions on Bristol Bay mining operations. A vote on the legalization of the sale of recreational marijuana remains close, although supporters of the measure are in the lead.