By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/will-ranked-choice-voting-affect-timing-of-maine-and-alaskas-senate-race-results-heres-what-we-know Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Will ranked choice voting affect timing of Maine and Alaska's Senate race results? Here's what we know Politics Nov 3, 2026 11:48 AM EST 2026 ELECTION COVERAGE: Watch Live | Poll Closing Times | All Live Results | Live Updates | Live Fact Check Most U.S. voters who are deciding Senate races Tuesday will pick one candidate. For voters in Alaska and Maine, their ballots instead will offer the chance to rank candidates in what is known as ranked choice voting. Maine and Alaska are the only two states using the voting method to select a U.S. senator this election. Those competitive races, ranked as "toss ups" by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, are seen as key to which party controls Congress. SUPPORT PBS NEWS: Stand with free and independent journalism. Join Press Pass "Ranked choice voting has a few different goals," said Derek Tisler, elections expert for the Brennan Center…
Will ranked choice voting affect timing of Maine and Alaska's Senate race results? Here's what we know
In short
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter has rated the Senate contests in Maine and Alaska as toss-ups, making their final tallies pivotal for congressional power. Under the rules utilized by these states, candidates must surpass 50 percent of the initial vote or face automatic redistribution rounds that eliminate trailing contenders. Experts indicate that this multi-tiered counting process, combined with exceptionally narrow margins, could delay newsrooms from projecting winners. Alaska's specific race features four candidates competing under the framework it first put into practice in 2022.
Key points
- Candidates must secure more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes to prevent the cont…: Candidates must secure more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes to prevent the contest from proceeding to an instant runoff.
- Redistribution rounds systematically eliminate the lowest-ranking candidates until one co…: Redistribution rounds systematically eliminate the lowest-ranking candidates until one contender attains an outright majority.
- Newsrooms may withhold race projections longer than normal because ranked choice voting c…: Newsrooms may withhold race projections longer than normal because ranked choice voting combined with close margins necessitates additional official tallies.