Supreme Court ruling could affect Alaska mail-in ballots and Senate race

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:54:00 +0200

A pending Supreme Court decision could significantly affect Alaska’s upcoming Senate race by potentially barring the counting of late-arriving mail ballots. Alaska allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted for up to 10 days afterward, a critical measure for remote communities, including many Alaska Native villages. These regions often face mail delays due to geography and weather, and a ban on late ballots could disenfranchise thousands of voters. Both Democrats and Republicans are closely monitoring the situation, as Alaska could play a decisive role in Senate control. Former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who has strong support among Alaska Natives, may be particularly impacted. GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan also has connections in Native communities, and his campaign believes ballots cast by Election Day should be counted even if they arrive late. The ruling could come as early as this summer, just before Alaska’s primaries, prompting state officials to seek clear guidance from