Dispute over Alaska election fast-tracked

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- An Alaska judge has put a legal dispute over U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski's re-election on the fast track, scheduling arguments next week.

Lawyers for the state and Murkowski joined those for the official Republican candidate, Joe Miller, in asking for speedy action, The Hill reported. They said Miller's lawsuit contesting the results could otherwise leave the state with only one senator in January, and Murkowski, who remains a Republican, also said she might lose her seniority if she is not sworn in at the start of the new term.

Murkowski lost the Republican primary to Miller, a Tea Party candidate endorsed by former Gov. Sarah Palin, and then won the election as a write-in candidate. Miller says thousands of ballots were counted that should have been tossed, including ones where Murkowski's name was misspelled.