# Under what circumstances will there be a runoff in Alaska? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345 "2010-11-03T16:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/1 "2010-11-03T16:52:43Z")
Not sure if to put this here or in GQ but here goes. Some people have speculated that the Senate race in Alaska could go to a runoff. Under what conditions might this occur, if it would occur at all? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/2 "2010-11-03T17:07:22Z")
If Murkowski gets less than 40% of the vote, it goes to a run-off between her and Miller. The key is going to be how many spellings Alaska allows for “Murkowski.” If she gets all the write-ins, then she’ll have over the 40% threshhold and will retain her seat. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/3 "2010-11-03T17:33:07Z")
As I pointed out in another thread, though, all the write-ins combined are still only slightly over the threshold. That’ll include some "Merkowski"s and "Murkowsky"s and the like, but it’ll also include “Mickey Mouse” and “Big Bird”, and those folks that Miller managed to get on the official list, and people voting for themselves or their best friends, and all the other typical write-in votes. It’s quite likely that, even counting all the misspellings, she’ll still be under the 40% magic number. Which doesn’t really make all that much difference in the long run; I can’t really see any way of Miller beating her in the runoff. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/4 "2010-11-03T17:46:21Z")
True that. A run-off just postpones the inevitable, because Alaska’s Dems will undoubtably back Murkowski against Miller. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/5 "2010-11-03T19:36:51Z")
One would assume that her name would be printed on the runoff ballot, so that the voters don’t have to write it in again. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/6 "2010-11-03T20:15:28Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > One would assume that her name would be printed on the runoff ballot, so that the voters don’t have to write it in again. :eek: What fun would **that** be?! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/7 "2010-11-03T22:55:17Z")
Oooh, there’s a plan. Maybe I can get a referendum through to require voters to write out the whole ballot themselves! ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/8 "2010-11-03T23:30:57Z")
While I’m pretty sure that Murkowski will win a run-off against Miller, I do feel compelled to point out that he did already beat her once this year in the primary. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/9 "2010-11-03T23:46:45Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > While I’m pretty sure that Murkowski will win a run-off against Miller, I do feel compelled to point out that he did already beat her once this year in the primary. In which only one party voted, and at much lower rates than a general. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/10 "2010-11-05T00:15:40Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > In which only one party voted, and at much lower rates than a general. But what would be the expected turnout for a runoff? And how distributed between the parties? Answers to _ **those** _ questions will obviously be key to any runoff result. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/11 "2010-11-05T01:05:36Z")
Gotta figure that a large number of Democrats will turn out for the run-off just to vote **against** Miller. Even if every nutjob in Alaska (and there are a lot of them!) votes for Miller, it won’t be enough. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/12 "2010-11-05T01:24:27Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > In which only one party voted, and at much lower rates than a general. And turnout will be higher for a surprise election in the middle of December for a single office where both candidates are from the same party? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/under-what-circumstances-will-there-be-a-runoff-in-alaska/559345/13 "2010-11-05T02:46:58Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > And turnout will be higher for a surprise election in the middle of December for a single office where both candidates are from the same party? :dubious: Probably, since it actually determines who represents the whole state in the Senate which is different from a primary election on a fundamental level.