(CNN) - The roller coaster Alaska Senate race could take another turn Wednesday when election officials there plan to count some 50,000 absentee and early ballots which previously have not been totalled.
Alaska's unofficial tally currently shows incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Stevens leading Democratic opponent Mark Begich 48 percent to 46.6 percent. Stevens, a political juggernaut in Washington, is clutching that narrow lead even after a jury found him guilty of seven felony corruption counts last month. The 40-year senator insists he is innocent.
Stevens and Begich are currently separated by just 3,257 votes, according to the Alaska Division of Elections Web site.
But those numbers primarily reflect votes cast on Election Day. In a statement, Alaska elections officials said that no absentee or early votes have been counted yet because the state wanted to check each one against precinct voter lists.
The officials estimate some 50,000 of the uncounted votes have now been cross-checked and will be counted Wednesday.
That could provide a big bounce for either candidate, but it may not end things. State figures indicate another 20,000 early and absentee votes are still being authenticated and will not be tallied yet.
From CNN Politics
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who cares?
Every one of those votes should be crossed checked and tallied... something smells fishy to me....
I don't understand why Ted Stevens isn't arrested? He was found guilty. This is another disease of no term-limits. It breds corruption in all forms of which monetary is only one.
I fervently hope that Stevens loses. That way we won't be faced with Palin engineering herself as his replacement. Let her remain as governor–if she isn't impeached–run for re-election and lose, and then fade from the political scene. The country will be a safer place.
I guess Alaskins dont mind Corruption and Frauds in their State and Gov Palin has to realize WE ARE NOT ALASKINS!!
We just cannot continue to bail out every business sector that finds itself in peril. I understand the incredibly wide reach of the auto industry, and the jobs in jeopardy if it should fail. But these companies kept pumping out those big SUVs and Hummers and oversize trucks and simply wouldn't help move public consumption toward more responsible vehicles. Like Wall Street, they grabbed the money and ran. The auto industry was short-sighted, stupid and irresponsible.
If there is a bail-out, some stiff conditions MUST be met, and that includes THE UNIONS which have been outrageous in their demands for pay and benefits.
Please leave ban on stem cells alone. 18 days after conception, the embryo has a heartbeat. To me, if you have a heartbeat, you are ALIVE!!! Let them Rest In Peace.
Best scenario for Sarah Palin: Stevens wins and has to step down; Palin wins his seat in a special election and spends the next six years in Washington getting the experience and knowledge she needs to be taken seriously the next time around. She's only 44; she can afford to wait until she's ready and all her idiot critics are busy chasing cars down the road.
Stevens, a convicted felon, should be disqualified. I believe our laws should reflect that no felon hold a Fed. Gov.t Office. EVER
Ted Stevens (R-Alaksa) is a convicted felon and criminal. He should be arrested and hauled off to federal prison, where he belongs.
This is terrific! I am now ready to accept Sarah Palin's offer for the lower 48 (and Hawaii) to follow the pristine example of government in action in Alaska - clearly her state is the frontrunner in every segment of government, and getting the election process right! NOT!
What a joke!
Hey, US does not have much options. Economy is really bad and more and more job loss. Certain actions may not be favorable but necessary.
Let Obama takes this actions and results will tell. You will not know whether it works or not until you try it out. So, do not jump to conclusion too early. Otherwise, if no action taken, situation will be worse off.
I didn't know Americans can vote for convicts.......This is a joke!
All convicted felons say they're innocent. Very few are.
Even if Stevens is re-elected, the Senate will not allow him to keep his seat. Like myself, he's a convicted felon. This jerk actually was allowed to vote for himself. Something is wrong with that picture. People are not above the law and he should not receive any special treatment. The same goes for his abuse of power governor.
if people say how corrupted alaska is, look at how much more corruption that went on and is still goin on in the states. this is more like – the divided & corrupted states of america. nobama wants another bailout for the union, which means taking more of your money to bailout an auto corporation, americans are buying foreign cars!? what good would that bailout do?
i like it. i really do. yes that is what they should do
50,000 votes not counted? That's like a third of Alaska's whole population!
Sarah/Joe the Plumber in 2012!
If Stevensen wins out and maintain his seat, this will show the mentality of the Alaskans. This will show their support of corrupt government. HOW SICK IS THAT!!!
If Govenor Palin really want to make a stand, she should not allow that to happen and then appoint someone OTHER THAN HERSELF to fill that senate seat. If she appoints her self, this will show her continued SELFISH ALL ABOUT her attitude is true.
hey cnn how ya feeling today ? yeah this is great this is great. we need this count . yes we do
Stevens is a convicted felon. This man is above arrogant. I am sick and tired of these Republican criminals who are found guilty by a jury of their peers continuing to ignore the law of the land. This man should be made to step down.
hey yeahhhh
Oh good, I was getting tired of making Florida the laughing stock of the US for their election stupidity. Between the high approval ratings for the wolf-hunting, bible-thumper and her extreme fundamentalist creationist views, and now actually voting for Stevens who if convicted won't even be allowed to vote for himself, well, Alaska...you are the new Florida. Congratulations.
Who Cares??? Why are we talking about anything but the president elect? There's serious issues going on and you're talking more about the republicans than the democrats......why? Who WON again?
We all know the rich people are republicans.....but you lost. So shut up!
Hopefully the absentees can send Begich over the top and get rid of Stevens once and for all.
Palin should not be encouraged to run for anything, if she gets a good challenger, she'll easily loose her governor job as well. I don't care what Alaskans say, she is not qualified to run a day care!
Obama, why not pick young, energetic, smart people for your cabinet, quit these old foggies, just rember what a sack of potatoes Biden has turned out to be!
Also give your supporters a chance to apply for the 8,000 jobs coming up by advertising them on your web site. Use the computer to automatically short list them by removing non citizens, etc. The onslaught should be manageable with technology.
BTW, Rahm Emanuel was a fantastic choice.
What kind of fool would vote for someone with seven felony convictions? This is the kind of nonsense that happens when people vote blindly along party lines, or vote for a familiar name without knowing anything about the person. It's no wonder there is so much deadwood in government.
It means Stevens is in the frying pan like Sarah Palin. Two of a KIND.
so there are 70,000 votes that haven't been counted from Alaska? That is 10% of the state's total population, and a much larger percentage of it's regestered voters. I imagine they will have a large impact on the tallies. I would love to see Alaska go blue. Won't happen but I would love to see it. I also have my fingers crossed that Don Young will be ousted.
Sounds like the case of the "Standing Chads".
I ACE CHAMPION A GAY 23YR OLD MALE AM SO SAD ABOUT THE PROP 8 CAMPAIGN. I WAS LITERALLY IN TEARS WHEN I FOUND OUT ON NOV 4TH 2008 THAT I WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CONTINUE PLANNING MY WEDDING WITH THA MAN I LOVE. WE BEEN TOGETHER FOR OVER 4 YRS AND IT WAS TIME TO SAY OUR I DO'S. ON A DAY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY FOR THE VICTORIOUS WIN OF OUR PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA WE DEEP DOWN GOT PUNCHED IN OUR GUT! I SHOWED MY SADNESS AND ANGER TO WORLD ON THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH ON NOV 7TH ME AND MY PARTNER JEFFERY JOHN AND AUNT AND COUSING WALKED THE STREETS OVER 2 MILES TO SHOW OUR PAIN. HOPEFULLY OUR PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED.
Obama 4 President / Did he ask for your feedback ? NO
Does he need your feedback?NO
Find a new job.
Without taking sides (And I really do want to!) the obvious answer to why Alaskans would still vote for Stevens is that it is very much a red state.
If he quit now, Begich (a Democrat) would win the seat. By staying in the race, he ensures that the Republicans keep their Senator. Even if (when) the Senate votes to expel him, the governor (Republican) gets to pick the replacement (maybe even herself). In any case, him quitting now loses another Senate seat to the Democrats. The Alaskan people know this.
A week after the election... Alaska is seriously a third-world country...
Just the fact that the vote is this close shows the mental capacity of the average Alaskan. Why they would vote for a guy who just convicted of 7 felony counts is beyond me... but this vote already explains Palin's success in Alaska.
nobamas goin to turn the united states into a 3rd world country, maybe 4th world
I wonder what's up with people in Alaska? First they picked the lack of any knowledge Palin, now more people voted for the convicted criminal - why???
The only thing that smells is the stink of corruption. It's insane that a convicted felon is allowed to run for office when he CANNOT VOTE.
Zero credibility.
Zero integrity.
Zero accountability.
This guy is going down, slowly, but surely! I must say, I look at Alaska in a totally different light now, crooks!
When I have heard the story that all the polls that are so dead on in all the other states, but WAY OFF across the board in Alaska, smells really fish sto me. Kind of like Georgia in the 50's. Inventive, creative and fictional. Why so long long to count the rest of the votes? – ridiculous.
Considering that Alaska's population is tiny in comparison with the rest of the Nation, WHY are we talking about Alaska??????????????????People who elect a convicted felon, like Stevens, are daft.
The fact is if Stevens does get elected this shows the entire world the American public has very low expectations for their elected officials and will simply be another example of why democracy is not always the best system for getting the best government.
Rahm Emmanuel was an aide during the Clinton years...
Clinton surrounded himself with young inexperienced people...
and the country punished him for it two years later...
Rahm Emmanuel is belligerent, profane, and unprofessional...and he is an elitist...
this is the beginning of the end...
noticed gun sales have shot up...
something tells me we'll have a new president before 2012...
How is it I see James Baker III fueling up the jet for a trip to Washington and the Supreme Court?!
What, you mean Al Gore hadn't thrown those ballots in the dumpster?
Where do all these mystery ballots come from? And why do they always seem to mysteriously support the Democrat? Smells fishy.
I always wanted to visit Alaska until my new found knowledge of how incredibly stupid the people are there. Why aren't the corrupt government employees like Palin and Stevens held accountable? I will never spend a dollar in Alaska.
this says alot about the mentality people of Alaska to put a convicted felon into office. But hey these are the people that gave Sarah Palin an 80% approval rating...go figure
Why can't Alaska count it's vote sooner? The whole state population is much smaller than a city like Philadelphia.
Why are the "results" in Alaska so far off the pre-election poll numbers when most every other senate race prediction was spot on or closer???
Are the people of Alaska actually electing a felon, Republican Senator Ted Stevens?
Something is very rotten about the state of Alaska and the republican political culture in that state. Perhaps we need UN observers or something (like in the third world) to make sure that the state apparatus is being used to throw away votes against the party and candidates now in power (corrupt republicans).
Alaska is mystifying. For years Stevens has been allowed to abuse the system and violate conflict of interest laws. His escapades have been reported for a long, long time. Then Palin shows up and further damages my image of Alaskans. More abuse of power. Alaska keeps voting these people into office. They'll allow Stevens to telecommute from his jail cell and claim they are so cutting edge with their technology.
Only a week late. Alaskans have low standards to have Stevens this close to reelections.
How does a convicted felon win an election. And all the polls were so accurate for the other 49 states, and way off for AK where Stevens was way behind in polling, and is ahead right now. What's going on?
Sarah you have lied so long you wouldn't even recognize The Truth if you saw it .
You have lied and spread hate long before this election and wormed your way doing what ever it took with whoever it took including your best friend the felon .and all "the gates" we have and have not checked out.
Your religion and politics don't mix ,your hate spreads more hate,your lies breed hate and more lies .
You are not a fixer upper you are a tearer upper and besides all this your smarts are missing .
JP....your right wings are showing again.
The ballots usually support the Democrat because they come from the elderly, the poor, and those who cannot afford to take time from work to vote--groups that usually vote Democratic. No mystery here.
That being said, I pray the voters of Alaska get it right and vote for Begich.
Otherwise, a felon will have won the election. And when he gets kicked out, he will be replaced by another of the not-too-bright-bulbs, Sarah Palin.
Why does the Constitution allow convicted felons to even be on the ballot...maybe those votes for convicted felons should automatically be removed from counting. We don't allow convicted felons in prison the right to vote, so why does Stevens even get to stay on the ballot.
How can you people just sit at your computers and insult us Alaskans without even knowing anything about us? We owe a lot to Ted Stevens being that he has been our senator for 40 years. And also why are you people bringing up Sarah Palin? She is a the best governor in the entire United States. Maybe if you people actually read up about her instead of wasting your time blogging on CNN you would learn why we love her!!!!
How does a man who now can't vote because he is a convicted fellon still have the right to run?
This is a screwed up system we have.
This guy stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax payers money and the democrat STILL can't beat him. Alaska is dumb.
Alaska is lucky we haven't sold it to Canada yet.
Although I personally would love to see the 50,000 votes put Begich over the top, the Alaska vote doesn't necessarily mean the people are stupid. Stevens will likely be expelled from the Senate, and the Governor would appoint a replacement until 2010. Alaska would rather have an appointed Republican than a Democrat for six years (if Begich wins).
Palin has no credibility. No need to mention that she is not intelligent enough to run a country. Come on... Alaska has small population and less complicated than the multiracial USA.
Ted Steven should be oust.... !
Alaska has now officially replaced Texas as the state with the dumbest rednecked voters!
J.P.- The reason that these votes seem to favor Democrats is that votes have a well known liberal bias.
Keeping Stevens is not as stupid as electing BarackO.
Voter turnout was high in 49 states, turn out was low in Alaska. Why?
Banana republic.. your count what you want as you need. Is this the greatest democracy in the world?
Strange. 50,000 votes is a lot of votes. It's more than enough to change who won. Why wait a week until after election day to tally them? Because Ted Stevens has been in power in Alaska long enough to have friends who are trying to steal an election for him, that's why. I think a lot of Americans have been absolutely disgusted with what we have learned about Alaska in the last few months. Someone stop the bleeding.
Hey wait... do they have ACORN in Alaska? Just asking...
Alaska will screw this up...especially if Palin has anything to do with it.
Palin is not trustworthy and she proved it during her hate filled, lie and slime campaign against Senator Obama.
It is sad that he won’t step down after a jury of his peers found him guilty, he has no respect for the law.
I may be off here but maybe Bush will pardon him, that could be why he won't step down
Sheila- the only stupid things is why we keep RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS like you when electing Obama is the best thing we've done!
Let's get this straight – the state whose governor has the highest popularity ratings in the country is going to re-elect a convicted felon? Doesn't say much for Palin's "support", or the Alaskan people for that matter. You all should be ashamed of yourself.
Alaska went from a state that was completely off most people's radar a few months ago to a state with the most laughable group of leaders I've ever heard of and, in my opinion, a national disgrace.
Lots of evidence the Alaska election was corrupted. Looks like Sarah has put a tin-horn dictatorship in place there.
Sarah Palin's latest interview is a joke. Ths woman is a pathological liar, why would anyone believe her.
3strikes November 11th, 2008 2:33 pm ET
nobamas goin to turn the united states into a 3rd world country, maybe 4th world
--------------------------------
How did you turn this blog into a hate rant against Obama? This blog has NOTHING to do with Obama and your statement shows your obvious lack of intelligence and your considerable ignorance and stupidity. You must be that clueless old bat at McCain's rally wearing the red shirt and that messed up white wig calling Obama an Arab.. brainless waste of flesh.
Sure sounds like something is "fishy" in Alaska.
No more votes than they have to count should have been done
days ago. How many Dems and Pubs are there overseeing
things. Gosh, could something crooked possibly be going on??
Sarah Palin for Senator, on her way to the presidency in 2012 when she will only be 46. Obama is only the interim president as we await the real deal–Sarah Barracuda-The Thrilla from Wasilla.
Sheila, Wow, and possibly J.P: Don't be idiotic Rethugnican tools, your man, McPastyBiscuitFace lost and the BEST man for the job won thanks to voters like me and others in this blog. Hating on Obama isn't going to stop him from being your master and you, his b!tches on January 20th, so lay back and take it.
NO PALIN in 2012, 2016, 2020 etc, etc
Keep the Wasilla hillbilly and her low rent trailer trash style of "talkin" far, far away from the lower 48...
Stevens, the shining example of a Republican criminal, deserves to die in jail. He’s an old man. A 5 year sentence ought to do it.
i love democracy (when it works).
She will keep talking and go no where what she should do
is educate her self and then talk about 2012 and some one need
to tell her that it was more the the Bush failure that help
President Elact Obam to win and a whole lot of hers and John McCains mouth and it seems that a lot of folk in Aliskai have
problems walking a stright line
I find it very indicative of Gov. Palin's ability to run an administration when a state with one of the smallest populations is taking this long to tally a senate vote... It just doesn't make sense to me...
Wow, so we heard all election about Gov. Palin's 80+% approval rating in Alaska. Apparently, as a Republican in Alaska it doesn't take much to earn that approval. The R next to your name seems to be all that is required. Alaska, a shining example of Democracy, sending a convicted felon to represent them.
So if you're a convicted fellon you can't vote, but you can get elected.
Is this a great country or what?
Good grief! These people are incompetent! How in the world do you get a week past election day without counting ballots that were cast in advance of election day?
They should be verifying and tallying them as they come in. Those vote counts should be known (and kept secret) at the beginning of election day.
Even if you count them afterwards, they shoud have been counted right along with the ballots cast on election day.
We really need to bring the voting process into the 21st century.
Personal to Dump Stevens:
Sarah Palin is 44 years-old now. 2012 is 4 years from now, which would make Palin 48, not 46. Or, are you espousing the GOP math which makes no sense but serves your purpose?!
Doesn't this whole Stevens thing remind one of Ollie North, who almost got elected to the Senate from Virginia but couldn't cast a vote on his own behalf due to being a convicted felon?!
Alaska is the new Florida – full of completely clueless voters and corrupt politicians.
I didn't realize how screwed up things are in Alaska. I seems like Sarah Palin will be able to keep herself occupied fixin' up things for the next 25 years so we won't have to worry about her runnin' for president and stuff like that. (I'm hoping)
Is amazing enough that alaskans voted in favor of a felon. BTW Palin is blaming Bush even when she wanted to continue his policies?
Alaskan: WHAT could you possibly OWE Senator Stevens? He is supposed to be YOUR public servant and serve your interests, not his own. The people elect a public officer to serve their needs, not the other way around. It doesn't matter how long he's been around, he's using his power, your money, and your blind commitment to serve HIS needs. YOU have been paying his salary, he doesn't pay yours. YOU deserve better, and so does the entire state of Alaska. I just hope Sarah Palin picks the right person for the job if she is called upon to do so. She can start proving herself with a good step in the right direction. They serve YOU!! Call upon them to do so!!
And this is the state that supplied the woman who wanted to be the next VP.....can corruption be any more clear....there are more inconsistencies with the voting in Alaska than in all the other states combined
One shouldn't be allowed to run for the PTA much less the Senate after being convicted of crimes. Plus, Stevens is just too old for the job. He should bow out for both reasons.
Stevens' own campaign manager expects the final tally to elect Begich.
'nuff said!
The whole vote situation is very suspect "up there in Alaaska". All of the polls, all, had the races looking one way and then we have the huge swings. The same polls that were actuate throughout the country are 15% off in Alaaska? I think not. And having the Alaska Governor on the Presidential ticket and having 22% Less votes than in 2004? Something smells up there. Is Alaska the new Florida? Yep, somethin smells up there in Alaaska and it smells like fraud.
Yet another reason why Palin's Alaskan credentials were bogus. I hope Stevens looses his seat and gains a new stainless steel toilet in an 8×10 prison cell.
stop it! all of you. Your negative thoughts and words are disgusting. can't you say anything about anybody in these blogs without blowing them to pieces and running them into the ground. Have you no decency or kindness in you? Its over. You won Obama is President. as a democrat, i did not vote for him or like his views, but i want to give him a chance and if he is succesful, we will be. I am trying to stay positive. Can't you find it in your hearts to let your thoughts on Alaska and your elitist remarks and jeers about Palin go??? Grow up and get a life. I would rather read the newspapers with all the terrible news than to read your ranting and whining. So, i won't read them again. America has really gotten mean. You can disagree with a candidate and even state that they are not "qualified" but lets not make it personal and this blog has nothing but personal and damaging remarks. Get a job and get a life. Makes me wonder what you would do, if your candidate lost the election. Or maybe i am grateful it happened otherwise. We will see. but at least, i keep an open mind and let my prior preferences go.
ah yes ... the Alaskans love "Uncle Ted" who brings home the pork ... for a state that has no income, sales or property tax – and for every federal dollar sent to DC, Alaska gets $1.80 back!
Now that's worth overlooking a silly thing like a felony conviction! The jails are full of innocent people – they'll tell you themselves!
Remember laws don't apply to Republicans: see the Bush Administration for the past 8 years.
Palin – Stevens – is this the BEST Alaska has to offer????????
I feel sorry for the people of Alaska (not to mention the wildlife!)
It's such a beautiful place, and should be PROTECTED -
not trashed. Gov Palin destroys the wildlife, and together
with Stevens also destroys the image of the people there.
Where did these votes come from, out of the blue or what?
Unbelievable! Governor Palin you are a shame. Is this how you wanted to be president of the USA? PLEASEEEEE
I'm surprised that there is anyone in Alaska that can count.
They elect a convicted felon to congress and an airhead governor. Maybe it is from standing outside bareheaded looking at Russia.
I would like to think that this could only happen in Alaska...but I am 100% confident that it could happen in many other "republican" states.
To all those who are wondering why it is taking so long to count the absentee votes:
If you read the article carefully, it states that they were waiting to confirm that the owners of these ballots were legitimate. Apparently it takes a while to send the dog sled teams out to the homes to see if the people actually DID live where they said.
Moderator how did you let the comments an possible threat of
Joe November 11th, 2008 2:40 pm ET, get by?
This should not even be an issue. Stevens was convicted of a felony.
His name should have been taken of the ballot. I am not sure what the people of AK are thinking; but I am still trying to figure out how Palin got elected Gov.
WHO VOTES CONVICTED FELONS INTO OFFICE?</b?
Republicans
Please help us.This is from KTUU News in Anchorage "under state law absentee ballots had to be postmarked by Election Day. But the state will still accept those mailed in the United States through this Friday. " They are breaking the state law and allowing to count votes postmarked by this friday!!!
Even if Senator Stevens wins, he should resign anyway. With whoever Palin chooses, it will be a clean start for the state.