In one of the closest legislative races in the state, Worthen nearly halved the lead Guess previously held and trailed by only 47 votes.

The margin is less than a percentage point but not enough to warrant a state-financed recount, said Janet Kowalski, director of the state division of elections. Kowalski said the overseas ballots yet to be counted are minuscule.

"There are not enough outstanding overseas absentee (ballots) to change the results of that race," said Kowalski.

Republican challengers in several other close races also picked up more votes as elections officials tallied thousands of absentee and questioned ballots not previously included in the Nov. 5 election results. But so far, no candidate received enough votes to change the outcome of those races.

Tuesday's count made no difference in Juneau's three legislative races or the overall balance of power in the Legislature.

The battle for District J, which encompasses Anchorage's upper Muldoon and Mountain View seat, was the closest Senate race in the view of Sen. Gene Therriault, a North Pole Republican poised to become the next Senate president.

"Until the candidate calls me, I am not giving up hope on him," Therriault said.

While the outcome of the race will not change the balance of power in the Legislature, it will decide whether Democrats were able to make gains in the Senate this year.

Senate District J was one of two seats Democrats appeared to pick up in the Nov. 5 election in an effort to cut the GOP's 14-6 majority in that chamber.

Senate Democrats will hold eight seats but Republicans still control the Legislature and Republican Gov.-elect Frank Murkowski will be sworn into the state's top office Dec. 2.

"Being eight, hopefully we will have more of a voice at the table," Guess said. "But it is going to be a Republican Senate, a Republican administration and a Republican House."

Other close races that tightened further with Tuesday's ballot totals include:

• House District 32 that includes Anchorage's Hillside neighborhood, upper Eagle River and Whittier, where Republican Mike Hawker led independent candidate Patricia Abney by 43 votes.

• House District 20 in Anchorage's Mountain View area where Democrat Max Gruenberg led Republican Randy Smith by 32 votes.

The additional ballots narrowed the margin of victory in Juneau's Senate race and widened it in the two local House races.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Kim Elton's margin over Republican Cathy Muñoz dropped from 458 the day after the election to 397 Tuesday. The new count maintained Elton's 7,964-7,567 victory, a 51-49 percent spread.

In the House District 3 race, Democratic Rep. Beth Kerttula widened her 2,058-vote margin of victory over GOP candidate Mike Race to 2,303. The new count was 4,976-2,673 or 65-35 percent.

In the House District 4 race, Republican Bruce Weyhrauch expanded his 566-ballot margin of victory over Democrat Tim Grussendorf to 728. The new count was 4,043-3,315 or 55-45 percent.

More than 22,900 absentee and questioned ballots were received in the state's gubernatorial race, driving the state's total voter turnout to more than 48 percent, elections records show.

The election is expected to be certified by Nov. 29, Kowalski said.

The latest election results are on the Web at elect02.alaska.net/.