The governor of Alaska (Iñupiaq: Alaaskam kavanaa) is the head of government of Alaska. The governor is the chief executive of the state and is the holder of the highest office in the executive branch of the government as well as being the commander in chief of the Alaska's state forces.

Twelve people have served as governor of the State of Alaska over 14 distinct terms, though Alaska had over 30 civilian and military governors during its long history as a United States territory. Only two governors, William A. Egan and Bill Walker, were born in Alaska. Two people, Egan and Wally Hickel, have been elected to multiple non-consecutive terms as governor. Hickel is also noted for a rare third party win in American politics, having been elected to a term in 1990 representing the Alaskan Independence Party. The longest-serving governor of the state was Egan, who was elected three times and served nearly 12 years. The longest-serving territorial governor was Ernest Gruening, who served over 13 years.

The current governor is Republican Mike Dunleavy, who took office on December 3, 2018.

Governors before statehood Alaska was purchased by the United States from the Russian Empire in 1867, with formal transfer occurring on October 18, 1867, which is now celebrated as Alaska Day. Before then, it was known as Russian America or Russian Alaska, controlled by the governors and general managers of the Russian-American Company.

The vast region was initially designated the Department of Alaska, under the jurisdiction of the Department of War until 1877, when the Army was withdrawn from Alaska. The Department of the Treasury then took control, with the Collector of Customs as the highest ranking federal official in the territory. In 1879, the Navy was given jurisdiction over the department.

Some believe the first American administrator of Alaska was Polish immigrant Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski. However, the Anchorage Daily News was unable to find any conclusive information to support this claim.

Governors of the District of Alaska On May 17, 1884, the Department of Alaska was redesignated the District of Alaska, an incorporated but unorganized territory with a civil government. The governor was appointed by the president of the United States.

+ Governors of the District of AlaskaGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1John Henry KinkeadJuly 4, 1884–May 8, 18852Alfred P. SwinefordMay 8, 1885–April 13, 18893Lyman Enos KnappApril 13, 1889–June 28, 18934James SheakleyJune 28, 1893–June 19, 18975John Green BradyJune 19, 1897–March 21, 19066Wilford Bacon HoggattMarch 21, 1906–October 1, 19097Walter Eli ClarkOctober 1, 1909–August 24, 1912

Governors of the Territory of Alaska The District of Alaska was organized into Alaska Territory on August 24, 1912. Governors continued to be appointed by the president of the United States.

+ Governors of the Territory of AlaskaGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1Walter Eli ClarkAugust 24, 1912–May 1, 19132John Franklin Alexander StrongMay 1, 1913–April 12, 19183Thomas Riggs Jr.April 12, 1918–June 13, 19214Scott Cordelle BoneJune 13, 1921–February 18, 19255George Alexander ParksFebruary 18, 1925–March 30, 19336John Weir TroyMarch 30, 1933–December 5, 19397Ernest GrueningDecember 5, 1939–March 16, 19538B. Frank HeintzlemanMarch 16, 1953–January 3, 19579Mike StepovichMay 16, 1957–August 9, 1958

Governors of the State of Alaska Alaska was admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959.

The state constitution provides for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every four years on the same ticket, with their terms commencing on the first Monday in the December following the election. Governors are allowed to succeed themselves once, having to wait four years after their second term in a row before being allowed to run again. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor assumes the office of governor. The original constitution of 1956 created the office of secretary of state, which was functionally identical to a lieutenant governor, and was renamed to "lieutenant governor" in 1970.

+ Governors of the State of AlaskaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1William A. EganJanuary 3, 1959–December 5, 1966Democratic195819622Wally HickelDecember 5, 1966–January 24, 1969Republican19663Keith Harvey MillerJanuary 24, 1969–December 7, 1970Republican1William A. EganDecember 7, 1970–December 2, 1974Democratic19704Jay HammondDecember 2, 1974–December 6, 1982Republican197419785Bill SheffieldDecember 6, 1982–December 1, 1986Democratic19826Steve CowperDecember 1, 1986–December 3, 1990Democratic19862Wally HickelDecember 3, 1990–December 5, 1994AlaskanIndependence19907Tony KnowlesDecember 5, 1994–December 2, 2002Democratic199419988Frank MurkowskiDecember 2, 2002–December 4, 2006Republican20029Sarah PalinDecember 4, 2006–July 26, 2009Republican200610Sean ParnellJuly 26, 2009–December 1, 2014RepublicanVacant201011Bill WalkerDecember 1, 2014–December 3, 2018Independent201412Mike DunleavyDecember 3, 2018–IncumbentRepublican20182022

Timeline Timeline of Alaska governors

Elections

+ Gubernatorial elections of the State of AlaskaElection dateIncumbentWinnerRunner-upTerm start dateTerm DefinitionsLengthLimitBeginning1958new officeJanuary 3, 1959Four yearsCan succeed self once,then must wait a termFirst Mondayin December1962December 3, 19621966December 5, 19661970December 7, 19701974December 2, 19741978December 4, 19781982December 6, 19821986December 1, 19861990December 3, 19901994December 5, 19941998December 7, 19982002December 2, 20022006December 4, 20062010December 6, 20102014December 1, 20142018December 3, 20182022December 5, 20222026Upcoming election; results to be determinedDecember 7, 2026

Electoral history YearDemocratic nomineeRepublican nomineeIndependent candidateAlaskan Independence nomineeLibertarian nomineeGreen nomineeOther candidateCandidate#%Candidate#%Candidate#%Candidate#%Candidate#%Candidate#%Candidate#% 1958 William A. Egan 29,189 59.61% John Butrovich 19,299 39.41% Mike Dollinter 480 0.98% – – – – 1962 William A. Egan 29,627 52.27% Mike Stepovich 27,054 47.73% – – – – – 1966 William A. Egan 32,065 48.37% Wally Hickel 33,145 49.99% John Grasse 1,084 1.64% – – – – 1970 William A. Egan 42,309 52.38% Keith Harvey Miller 37,264 46.13% – – – – 1,206 1.49% 1974 William A. Egan 45,553 47.37% Jay Hammond 45,840 47.67% – Joseph E. Vogler 4,770 4.96% – – – 1978 Chancy Croft 25,656 20.22% Jay Hammond 49,580 39.07% Tom Kelly 15,656 12.34% Don Wright 2,463 1.94% – – 33,555 26.44% 1982 Bill Sheffield 89,918 46.12% Tom Fink 72,291 37.09% – Joseph E. Vogler 3,235 1.66% Dick Randolph 29,067 14.91% – – 1986 Steve Cowper 84,943 47.31% Arliss Sturgulewski 76,515 42.61% – Joseph E. Vogler 10,013 5.58% Mary Jane O'Brannon 1,050 0.58% – – 1990 Tony Knowles 60,201 30.91% Arliss Sturgulewski 50,991 26.18% – Wally Hickel 75,721 38.88% – Jim Sykes 6,563 3.37% 942 0.48% 1994 Tony Knowles 87,693 41.08% Jim Campbell 87,157 40.84% – Jack Coghill 27,838 13.04% – Jim Sykes 8,727 4.09% 1,743 0.82% 1998 Tony Knowles 112,879 51.27% 39,331 17.86% 40,209 18.26% Sylvia Sullivan 4,238 1.92% – Desa Jacobsson 6,618 3.01% 13,540 6.15% 2002 Fran Ulmer 94,216 40.70% Frank Murkowski 129,279 55.85% – Don Wright 2,185 0.94% Billy Toien 1,109 0.48% Diane E. Benson 2,926 1.26% 1,506 0.65% 2006 Tony Knowles 97,238 40.97% Sarah Palin 114,697 48.33% Andrew Halcro 22,443 9.46% Don Wright 1,285 0.54% Billy Toien 682 0.29% David Massie 593 0.25% – 2010 Ethan Berkowitz 96,519 37.67% Sean Parnell 151,318 59.06% – Don Wright 4,775 1.86% Billy Toien 2,682 1.05% – – 2014 – Sean Parnell 128,435 45.88% Bill Walker 134,658 48.10% – Carolyn Clift 8,985 3.21% – 6,987 2.50% 2018 Mark Begich 125,739 44.41% Mike Dunleavy 145,631 51.44% Bill Walker 5,757 2.03% – Billy Toien 5,402 1.91% – – 2022 Les Gara 63,851 24.21% Mike Dunleavy 132,632 50.29% Bill Walker 54,688 20.73% – – – 11,817 4.48%

See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Alaska List of Alaska State Legislatures List of governors of dependent territories in the 19th century List of governors of dependent territories in the 20th century

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

Office of the Governor of Alaska