Senate races still undecided after 2 weeks

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Two of three states with undetermined U.S. Senate races are moving closer to resolution on some issues if not the races themselves, election officials say.

Election officials in Alaska said they hope to determine soon the winner in Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' bid to overcome a felony conviction and Democratic challenger Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. Officials said about 24,000 ballots remained to be counted Tuesday, CNN reported.

Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, was convicted in October failing to report more than $250,000 in gifts on his Senate financial disclosure. He led Begich in early returns, but since Begich has taken a narrow lead.

In Minnesota, state election officials said they expect to rule Tuesday on whether some rejected absentee ballots should be considered in the recount of the race between Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken. The recount is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Coleman held a slim 206-vote lead over Franken, an author and former "Saturday Night Live" writer and performer.

Georgia is the third state with a Senate race yet to be decided. Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss will face Democrat Jim Martin in a Dec. 2 runoff.