Alaska

Rep. Mary Peltola seeks to thwart Sarah Palin’s political comeback again as Alaska tabulates ranked choice voting results | CNN Politics

Published

2 years ago

November 23, 2022

Rep. Mary Peltola seeks to thwart Sarah Palin’s political comeback again as Alaska tabulates ranked choice voting results | CNN Politics

CNN
—

Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola, the Democrat who gained a particular election that despatched her to Congress this summer season, may as soon as once more thwart former Gov. Sarah Palin’s bid for a political comeback on Wednesday.

State elections officers are set to tabulate the outcomes of its ranked selection ballots at 8 p.m. ET.

These outcomes will resolve the end result of the race for Alaska’s at-large Home seat, in addition to a Senate race during which reasonable Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski has confronted an intra-party problem from Kelly Tshibaka, a conservative backed by former President Donald Trump.

In Alaska, voters in 2020 permitted a change to a ranked selection voting system. It’s in place in 2022 for the primary time.

Beneath the brand new system, Alaska holds open primaries and voters solid ballots for one candidate of any get together, and the highest 4 finishers advance. Within the basic election, voters rank these 4 candidates, from their first option to their fourth selection.

If no candidate tops 50% of the primary selection votes, the state then tabulates ranked selection outcomes – dropping the last-place finisher and shifting these votes to voters’ second selections. If, after one spherical of tabulation, there may be nonetheless no winner, the third-place finisher is dropped and the identical vote-shifting course of takes place.

The Alaska governor’s race may keep away from ranked selection tabulation solely. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who’s searching for a second time period, presently has 50.3% of the vote – on monitor to narrowly high the 50% threshold essential to win outright. Nonetheless, Wednesday is the deadline for abroad votes to be counted – so further votes may nonetheless shift the race’s margins. Democrat Les Gara is presently in second place with 24.2% of the vote, whereas impartial former Gov. Invoice Walker is third with 20.7%.

Within the Home and Senate races, the incumbents, Peltola and Murkowski, are closely favored.

Peltola didn’t cross the 50% threshold, however presently has a transparent lead with 48.7% of the vote. The following two spots are cut up between two high-profile Republicans: Palin, who’s making an attempt a political comeback 13 years after she was the GOP’s vice presidential nominee, and Nick Begich III, a Republican member of Alaska’s most outstanding Democratic political household.

Palin obtained 25.8% of the state’s first-place votes, whereas Begich obtained 23.4%. A fourth-place candidate, Libertarian Chris Bye, obtained 1.7% of the vote.

Peltola first gained the Home seat when an analogous state of affairs performed out within the August particular election to fill the remaining months of the time period of the late Rep. Don Younger, a Republican who died in March after representing Alaska within the Home for 49 years.

Providing herself as a supporter of abortion rights and a salmon fishing advocate, Peltola emerged because the victor within the August particular election after receiving simply 40% of the first-place votes. This time, she has a bigger share, whereas Palin’s and Begich’s assist has shrunk.

The Home race has showcased the bizarre alliances in Alaska politics. Although Peltola is a Democrat, she can be shut with Palin – whose tenure as governor overlapped with Peltola’s time as a state lawmaker in Juneau. The 2 have warmly praised one another. Palin has criticized the ranked selection voting system and requested voters to “rank the crimson” – itemizing the Republican candidates as their first and second selections. However she by no means took goal at Peltola in private phrases.

Within the Senate race, Murkowski and Tshibaka have an analogous share of first place votes: Murkowski had 43.3% assist, whereas Tshibaka had 42.7%.

Nonetheless, the third-place finisher with 10.3% assist was Democrat Patricia Chesbro. It’s broadly anticipated that voters who most popular Chesbro would rank the extra reasonable Murkowski above the Trump-aligned Tshibaka. Fourth-place Buzz Kelley, a Republican, earned 2.9% of the first-place votes regardless of suspending his marketing campaign in September and backing Tshibaka.

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Alaska

Scott Kendall at the mic on the Must Read Alaska Show, talking about ranked-choice voting

Published

7 hours ago

June 1, 2024

Press Room

Scott Kendall at the mic on the Must Read Alaska Show, talking about ranked-choice voting

By JOHN QUICK

On the Must Read Alaska Show, host John Quick interviews Scott Kendall, a prominent litigator, strategic consultant, and lightning rod figure in campaign and election law in Alaska.

Scott shares his insights on ranked-choice voting vs. STAR voting, which was discussed on the MRAK Show recently with one of its co-developers, Mark Frohnmayer. Scott also discusses his experiences supporting various candidates, including his stance in the recent Anchorage mayoral race, in which he supported mayor-elect Suzanne LaFrance.

Scott also provides an analysis of some of the issues facing Alaska, such as education funding, teacher recruitment, and retention. Additionally, he offers his perspectives on the upcoming presidential election and local congressional races.

Join John and Scott for a look at the current and future political landscape in Alaska, demonstrating the importance of thoughtful dialogue between differing view points.

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Alaska

Scientists Alarmed as Rivers in Alaska Turn Bright Orange

Published

14 hours ago

June 1, 2024

Press Room

Scientists Alarmed as Rivers in Alaska Turn Bright Orange

“There are certain sites that look almost like a milky orange juice.”

Rivers of Rust

Climate change is doing all sorts of weird things to the planet — from increased turbulence on plane trips to more stinging jellyfish in the ocean.

Now, remote rivers in the Alaska backcountry are turning from a pristine glacier blue to an alarming rusty bright orange, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications: Earth & Environment. Why? Thawing permafrost, caused by global warming, is releasing minerals like iron and toxic metals into rivers.

Researchers studied 74 streams in Brooks Range, a spectacular swath of mostly uninhabited mountains in the north of Alaska’s arctic region. They used satellite images to conclude that this color change has been happening over the last ten years as climate change has increased temperatures in the region — a startling illustration of the devastating effects global warming is having on some extremely remote parts of the world.

Orange Creamsicle

And judging by the pictures, it’s an off-putting hue that almost looks like it belongs on the surface of a different planet.

“There are certain sites that look almost like a milky orange juice,” said National Park Service ecologist and study lead author Jon O’Donnell in a statement.

“We’re used to seeing this in parts of California, parts of Appalachia where we have mining history,” University of California Davis professor of environmental toxicology and study coauthor Brett Poulin told CNN. “But it’s very startling to see it when you’re on some of the most remote wilderness and you’re far from a mine source.”

Downstream

Setting aside their unsettling color, the impact on the local environment is enormous, according to the researchers.

The thawing permafrost and mineral runoff — which includes lead, iron, zinc, copper, nickel, cadmium, and mercury — make the streams more cloudy and hence block more light, and are more acidic. This can impact plant and aquatic life with fish like salmon storing toxic minerals in their meaty flesh, according to the researchers.

And there are risks to human health as well. Many Alaskans who do subsistence fishing could be harmed — not to mention drinking water downstream that can be contaminated.

Researchers are now looking to identify more affected locations around Alaska to trace the metal and minerals back to their source.

But in the long term, the best solution would likely involve addressing the growing climate crisis.

More on climate change: Record Global Temperatures Drive Extreme Heatwaves in Oceans, Too

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Alaska

Second Malaysian rescued from Alaskan mountain, another perishes

Published

21 hours ago

June 1, 2024

Press Room

Second Malaysian rescued from Alaskan mountain, another perishes

PETALING JAYA: One of the two climbers trapped on an Alaskan mountain since Tuesday (May 28) has been rescued by a helicopter crew early Friday (May 31), says the Alpine Club Malaysia.

Unfortunately, the other climber died in a snow cave while awaiting help, as reported by officials from the US National Park Service.

“At 6am (local time) on Friday (May 31), rescuers managed to evacuate one of the climbers, Zainudin Lot, who is being treated at a hospital in Talkeetna, Alaska. His condition is stable, but he has frostbite on both hands.

“Meanwhile, we regret to inform you that Zulkifli Yusuf was confirmed dead at 6am on Wednesday (May 29) while taking refuge in a ‘snow cave’ in an area known as ‘Football Field’ at an altitude of 19,700ft above sea level.

“The suspected causes of death are high altitude cerebral edema and hypothermia, which will be confirmed by a postmortem,” it said in a Facebook post on Saturday (June 1).

Climber Zulkifli was confirmed dead on May 29 while taking refuge in a ‘snow cave’ in an area known as ‘Football Field’ at an altitude of 19,700ft above sea level.

The club reported that Zulkifli’s body remains at the site, and the process of recovery may take some time, depending on weather conditions.

The Malaysian consulate in Los Angeles has also been informed about the development and will assist the victims for the next process.

Earlier, Muhammad Illaham Ishak, 47, one of the three Malaysian climbers who successfully reached the peak of Mount Denali in Alaska, was rescued after being trapped by adverse weather during their descent on May 28.

Illaham is now receiving treatment at a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, and also suffered frostbite on his hands and feet.

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