19 Nov 2010

Senator holds seat in 'write-in'campaign

1:18 pm on 19 November 2010

The last Senate race has been decided in the midterm elections in the United States in an unusual style.

Republican Senator for Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, initially lost her party's primary contest.

But she's now been re-elected as the result of a 'write-in' campaign, where voters write the candidate's name on the ballot paper.

The BBC reports Senator Murkowski's win came at the expense of Tea Party candidate Joe Miller.

The other candidate was Democrat Scott McAdams.

As of Tuesday night, 92,528 ballots were for a write-in candidate - representing 40% of the total ballots counted so far. Most of the write-in ballots are believed to be for Senator Murkowski.

Mr Miller had 35% of the vote and Mr McAdams with 23%. Absentee ballots are not expected to change the outcome.

It is the first victory of its kind since 1954.