Alaska ending election night gathering amid budget crunch

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – It’s an election night tradition in Alaska: jubilant candidates followed by chanting, sign-waving supporters parade into a cavernous convention hall, shaking hands and taking their turn at the makeshift TV sets dotting what is known as “Election Central.’’ Republicans mill about with Democrats as race results are projected onto a bare wall by state election workers. Campaign staff line up interviews for their candidates as they cycle in and out of the room.

But this longstanding event an outlier during a divisive U.S. presidential election and in polarized political times...