Roy Moore blames 'dark forces' as he refuses to concede defeat in Alabama election that humiliated Trump

Alabama Republican Roy Moore says he is waiting for the "final count" in the Alabama race for US Senate.

Mr Moore released a campaign video today saying it was a close race and that some military and provisional ballots had yet to be counted.

Mr Moore said he is waiting for certification of the final vote by the Alabama secretary of state. That is expected to occur sometime between December 26 and January 3.

Unofficial returns show that Democrat Doug Jones defeated Mr Moore by about 20,000 votes, or 1.5 per cent.

Mr Moore released the message several hours after Mr Jones urged him to "do the right thing" and concede.

Mr Moore, who is known for his evangelical politics, called the election a battle for the "heart and soul" of the country