Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has won Alaska’s governor’s race, the Associated Press called Friday after late ballot counting showed the Democrat above the majority threshold. The result makes him the first Democrat elected governor of Alaska since 1998, according to the AP.

The victory resolves a race that remained uncalled as ballots were counted after Election Day. The latest figures reported Friday by Alaska’s News Source showed Kreiss-Tomkins with 139,293 votes and Republican Bernadette Wilson with 77,110. He defeated three Republican candidates, including President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate, the AP reported.

Why the majority threshold matters

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in general elections when no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes. Kreiss-Tomkins’ reported tally crossed 50%, so the gubernatorial race is not expected to require a ranked-choice tabulation. The state’s results page still labels the count unofficial while eligible ballots are reviewed, with its schedule pointing to Nov. 18 for that process.

The AP’s race call is a news organization’s projection, not the state’s certification. Alaska’s Division of Elections will publish the official result after its review is complete. The distinction matters in a state where ballot counting can continue well after Election Day.

A change at the governor’s office

Kreiss-Tomkins, 37, is a former state representative from Sitka. His win flips the governor’s office from Republican to Democratic control and ends a gap that began when Democrat Tony Knowles left office in 2002. The AP describes the result as the first time since 1998 that Alaska voters elected a Democrat governor.

TheGlobuzz previously reported that Alaska’s governor and Senate races remained uncalled as vote counting continued. The governor’s outcome is now clear by the AP’s call; Alaska’s official results remain subject to the state’s canvass and certification process. See our earlier Alaska ballot-count update and the site’s Politics coverage.

Sources

Associated Press; Alaska’s News Source (KTUU); Alaska Division of Elections; Alaska Public Media.