The Alaska Supreme Court will hear Joe Miller's argument this afternoon that his loss to Sen. Lisa Murkowski came in a tainted election. It's Miller's last chance to challenge the results in state court.
Murkowski campaign manager Kevin Sweeney said he thinks the court will likely issue its ruling tonight. The court made clear that it wants to resolve the issue quickly. But the ruling could also come over the weekend or sometime next week.
Miller's appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court comes after a state Superior Court judge tossed out his lawsuit. Judge William Carey ruled last week that the state was right to consider "voter intent" and count misspelled write-in ballots for Murkowski.
Carey also found there was no evidence for Miller's suggestion of fraud in the election.
Miller will be nearly out of options if he loses in the Alaska Supreme Court. His only remaining alternative would be a last-ditch effort in federal court.
U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline earlier ruled that the state courts should decide Miller's challenges of Alaska election law. But if the Alaska Supreme Court rejects his arguments, he will have 48 hours or until Monday morning, whichever comes later, to argue that the federal courts should take up any remaining issues, according to an order by Beistline.
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