Updated Update In Alaska

Begich extends his lead to 814. More updates as they come in from the Alaska Division of Elections.  At least 15,000 questioned ballots and 20,000 absentee mail-in ballots are still uncounted.  Many of these ballots are thought to come from pro-Begich precincts.

Current total concludes today's counting.

Begich 132,196

Stevens 131,382

Alaska Update: Begich By .001%

Mark Begich now leads by just three votes out of 250,035 total ballots counted after trailing by more than 3000 yesterday. And they are still counting. 

The total number of votes counted so far includes the 41,000 absentee ballots which were counted today. More ballots are expected to be counted over the next week.  Currently Begich leads 47.238% to Stevens'  47.237%.

If it takes this long in Alaska to get a first count, just imagine how long it might take for a recount. Maybe they're waiting on Christmas? Palin's in charge?

Dixville Notch Surprise: Obama!

For the first time in forty years, a Democrat has won the Presidential vote in the the tiny New Hampshire village of Dixville Notch. Here are the results, just announced a few moments ago:

Barack Obama: 15 votes

John McCain: 6 votes

Ralph Nader: 0 votes

The last Democrat to win in Dixville Notch was Hubert Humphrey in 1968. See our earlier post about this quaint New England village's tradition of voting at midnight and counting the votes immediately.