With Election Day close, Juneau voters are casting ballots in record numbers, deciding on Alaska’s U.S. House seat, ranked-choice voting, and a minimum wage increase. The House race between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Nick Begich is highly competitive, though Juneau has seen limited direct outreach. Over 80,000 ballots have been cast statewide, and Juneau’s early voting locations remain open today, with citywide polling sites open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. KINY’s presidential election coverage starts at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Alaska’s U.S. House race has become one of the costliest in the nation, with over $40 million spent, largely by outside groups backing Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Nick Begich. Around $28 million has been spent on independent advertising, while Peltola has raised five times more in individual contributions. With both parties vying for control of the closely divided House, Alaska’s race stands out as one of the few competitive, non-gerrymandered districts in the country. Alaska State Troopers charged a Fairbanks plow driver, Kevin Glynn, with DUI after he was found to be over three times the legal blood alcohol limit while operating a road grader. Glynn’s supervisor raised concerns, and an off-duty trooper later confirmed his impairment. Alaska’s DOT conducts random drug and alcohol tests for commercial drivers, and Glynn’s coworkers followed department protocols by reporting their concerns. His arraignment is scheduled for November 8. The U.S. economy saw only 12,000 new jobs in October, a weak showing just before the presidential election. Hurricanes and labor strikes likely influenced the numbers, though the unemployment rate held at 4.1%. Economists say the storm-related disruptions may impact longer-term job growth in affected areas. The Federal Reserve is watching the labor market closely, but October’s report is unlikely to change rate-cut plans.