The Alaska Division of Elections processed an additional 677 votes from rural precincts, narrowing the number of uncounted areas to four. No race leaders shifted, but the ballot measure to repeal ranked-choice voting is now closer, with “yes” votes leading by just over 4,000 out of nearly 247,000 total votes. On Nov. 12, Alaska will begin counting at least 46,000 early and absentee ballots, though some “questioned ballots” still await further ID verification. Alaska’s House of Representatives will now be led by a Democratic coalition, moving away from Republican leadership. New Majority Leader Rep.-elect Chuck Kopp plans to expand the coalition to include members focused on fiscal conservatism, educational funding, retirement reform, and sustainable energy development. The coalition intends to steer clear of divisive social issues, such as previous debates on transgender participation in sports, aiming instead to focus on productive, bipartisan policies that benefit Alaskans. As Alaska enters respiratory illness season, doctors report an uptick in whooping cough, strep throat, and mycoplasma pneumonia cases, adding to the usual wave of COVID-19 and flu. Mycoplasma pneumonia, or “walking pneumonia,” can be identified by a persistent cough lasting over a week. To prevent the spread, residents are advised to wear masks when ill, wash hands frequently, and stay home if symptomatic. This year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, a 74-foot Sitka spruce from Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, has begun its journey from Wrangell to Washington, D.C. During Wrangell’s Oct. 26 Harvest Festival, local community members gathered to celebrate and bless the “People’s Tree.” With a custom hydration system made by local students, the tree will travel through 11 Lower 48 communities, allowing people to sign a banner and participate in its journey to the Capitol.