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Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, Nov. 20.

In today's newsletter:

Many Alaskans are wondering: Why are election workers still counting ballots two weeks after Election Day? Alaska’s generous absentee voting laws are not new.
A ballot measure to repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting and open primaries was trailing by a razor-thin margin after election officials counted additional ballots yesterday. The final ballot count and ranked choice tabulation are set for today.
The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved the 2025 city budget after making just a few changes to Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s $638.9 million general spending plan.

This was a great year for fans of mystery novels. And with temperatures dropping in Anchorage, it's a perfect time to curl up indoors with a book. From new books in popular series and the welcome return of a veteran writer to recent additions to the genre, here are some of the best mystery novels of 2024.

Anchorage weather

The stretch of sunny but cold weather in Anchorage continues today, with clear skies and a high near 12 degrees. Things should begin warming up Thursday, with daytime temperatures in the 20s. Clouds will return to the forecast over the weekend.

Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today.

— Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com

Two weeks after Election Day, Alaska is still counting ballots. This isn’t new. →

Alaska is one of 28 states in which voters do not need a special reason, or an “excuse,” to request an absentee ballot. But Alaska’s timeline is unusually generous. State law allows by-mail ballots to be counted as long as they are received up to two weeks after Election Day.

Ranked choice voting repeal now trailing by 45 votes ahead of final Alaska ballot count and tabulation today →

The repeal effort is behind 49.99% to 50.01%. The ranked choice tabulation is scheduled for 5 p.m. today and will be livestreamed by Gavel Alaska.

Anchorage Assembly passes Mayor LaFrance’s city budget with few changes →

An effort to include funding in the city budget to explore independent civilian oversight of Anchorage police failed.

Anchorage School District pauses controversial schedule change for high schools →

The change was presented as necessary to make room for additional career and technical education courses as part of the implementation of the career academies model in Anchorage. (via Alaska Public Media)

In a world of bytes and clips, Anchorage musician Chad Reynvaan creates an album for the times →

His new album, “One Minute Songs,” caters towards the attention span of the modern day.

Former Alaska Rep. LeDoux’s long-delayed election misconduct trial starts in Anchorage →

She was accused by state prosecutors in 2020 of encouraging people who did not live in her district to vote for her in the 2014 and 2018 primary and general elections.

More from the ADN

Sexually transmitted infections top Alaska’s annual disease report, reflecting high rates →

Trump ignores transition rules and practices. It’s a ‘hostile takeover,’ an ally says. →

‘Bomb cyclone’ kills at least 2 and knocks out power to over half a million homes across the Northwest U.S. →

How Trump’s tariffs could spark a trade war and ‘Europe’s worst economic nightmare’ →

3 ways TikTok might survive a ban, with or without Trump’s help →

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