By Elizabeth Bluemink | Anchorage Daily News

"No" votes took a big lead over "Yes" votes in the epic battle over Ballot Measure 4.

With more than half of the votes counted, Measure 4 was losing by a large margin. But still out was much of the Bush vote -- including the Bristol Bay region, where many residents are concerned about the massive, controversial Pebble copper and gold prospect.

The fight over the proposed law pitted salmon against mining in a multimillion-dollar ad war that inundated Alaskans for months, and confused many of them.

Opponents of Measure 4 sensed a victory late.

"We're cautiously optimistic. We're feeling good. This has been a great statement by the Alaskan people that mining is in our past and it's going to be in our future," said Renee Limoge, a spokeswoman for Alaskans Against the Mining Shutdown, a group that raised millions from the mining industry to fight Measure 4.

The proponents of Measure 4 said they believe that Gov. Sarah Palin's recent announcement that she would vote "No" cost them many voters.

Read the full story at adn.com.