Iris Samuels

Newly elected lawmakers said Friday that they will seek to work “in the middle” on policy issues including energy, education and the budget.

Results announced Wednesday in 59 legislative races strengthened the prospects of a bipartisan coalition governing the Alaska Senate, while complicating the path to forming House leadership.

Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, won reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Republican challengers Sarah Palin and Nick Begich.

Murkowski beat Trump-backed challenger Kelly Tshibaka by more than seven points after ranked choice votes were tabulated.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy earned just over half of first-choice votes, becoming the first Alaska governor to win reelection in more than two decades.

The Alaska Division of Elections is set to finish counting ballots Wednesday and finalize results of races for governor, U.S. House, U.S. Senate and 59 legislative seats.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Rep. Mary Peltola and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy are in solid positions to retain their seats after thousands of additional ballots were counted on Friday.

A new group has formed to gather signatures in an effort to overturn ranked choice voting and open primaries. Former Gov. Sarah Palin was the first to sign the petition.

After 27,000 additional ballots were counted Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was neck-and-neck with Trump-backed challenger Kelly Tshibaka, and Rep. Mary Peltola strengthened her lead over her Republican challengers. Both Murkowski and Peltola have ranked choice on their side.

U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, who appears set to lose her bid against incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, said in an interview that “our war is not over yet.”

Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola was leading in first-choice votes after early returns were posted Tuesday night. Former Gov. Sarah Palin was in second place, ahead of fellow Republican Nick Begich.

Republican Kelly Tshibaka was leading Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski after early returns were posted Tuesday night. But Murkowski said she was confident she could overtake Tshibaka once second-choice votes are tallied in the ranked choice election.

With more than 217,000 ballots counted, Republican incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy had 52% of first-choice votes. Democrat Les Gara had 23% and independent Bill Walker had 20%.

Alaskans will use ranked choice voting in races for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and seats in the state Legislature. Voters will also decide whether to call a constitutional convention. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

In the final stretch, candidates were busy making their final appeals to voters and election officials are manning over 150 early voting locations.