Thegovernor of Alaska (Iñupiaq: Alaaskam kavanaa) is thehead of government ofAlaska. 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 theAlaska'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 aUnited States territory. Only two governors,William A. Egan andBill Walker, were born in Alaska. Two people, Egan andWally Hickel, have been elected to multiple non-consecutive terms as governor. Hickel is also noted for a rarethird party win in American politics, having been elected to a term in 1990 representing theAlaskan 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 wasErnest Gruening, who served over 13 years.
The current governor is RepublicanMike Dunleavy, who took office on December 3, 2018.
The vast region was initially designated theDepartment of Alaska, under the jurisdiction of theDepartment of War and administered byArmy officers until 1877, when the Army was withdrawn from Alaska. TheDepartment of the Treasury then took control, with the Collector of Customs as the highest ranking federal official in the territory. In 1879, theNavy was given jurisdiction over the department.[3]
The District of Alaska wasorganized intoAlaska Territory on August 24, 1912.[40] Governors continued to be appointed by the president of the United States.
Thestate constitution provides for the election of a governor andlieutenant governor every four years on the sameticket, 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.[87]
^abThe range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
^Kinkead was nominated on June 27, 1884,[7] and confirmed by the Senate on July 4.[8] It is unknown precisely when he took office; the only contemporary news found thus far reported it was on or just before September 15.[9]
^Swineford was appointed on May 8, 1885,[11] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 10;[12] and confirmed by the Senate on June 7.[13] He took office in Alaska on September 15.[14]
^Swineford submitted his resignation on March 4, 1889, to take effect when his successor was appointed;[15] while modern sources say he resigned on April 20,[10] his successor was nominated on April 13, took the oath of office outside of the state on April 15, and took office on June 1.[16] As no sourcing of when Swineford actually left office has been found, this article uses the date his successor was confirmed, April 13.
^Knapp was appointed on April 13, 1889,[16] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 17;[18] and confirmed by the Senate on December 21.[19] He took the oath of office out of state on April 15,[16] and took office on June 1.[16]
^No sources specify when Knapp left office; McMullin says "August 1893", which is when his successor took office, but their presidential appointment specified, "vice Lyman E. Knapp, removed", implying he may not have remained governor until then.[20] As his successor was appointed on June 28, that date is used here.
^Sheakley was appointed on June 28, 1893,[20] during a Senate recess; nominated on August 18;[20] and confirmed by the Senate on August 23.[22] He took office on August 29.[21]
^Contemporary news reported that Sheakley resigned July 15, 1897,[23] and the presidential appointment of his successor also said he resigned;[24] no source yet found specifies why.
^Brady was nominated on June 15, 1897,[24] confirmed by the Senate on June 19,[26] and took office on July 15.[25] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on June 7, 1900,[27] and January 15, 1905.[28]
^Brady was forced to resign due to his involvement with the fraudulent Reynolds–Alaska Development Company.[25][29] He submitted his resignation on February 14, 1906, to take effect upon the appointment of his successor.[30]
^Hoggatt was nominated on March 12, 1906,[32] confirmed by the Senate on March 21,[33] and took office on April 30.[34]
^Hoggatt resigned to tend to business interests. He submitted his resignation on May 18, 1909, to take effect on October 1, when his successor's term was scheduled to begin.[35]
^Clark was nominated on May 18, 1909,[37] confirmed by the Senate on May 20,[38] and took office on October 1.[39]
^Clark submitted his resignation on March 4, 1913, to take effect upon the appointment of his successor, to return to private life.[41]
^Strong was nominated on April 21, 1913,[43] confirmed by the Senate on May 1,[44] and took office on May 21.[45]
^According toErnest Gruening, Wilson declined to reappoint Strong because he may have still been aCanadian citizen.[42] President Wilson's nomination of Strong's successor specified, "vice John F. A. Strong, term expired and resigned;"[46] however, Strong denied resigning.[47]
^Riggs was nominated on March 7, 1918,[46] confirmed by the Senate on April 12,[49] and took office on April 26.[50]
^President Wilson's nomination of Riggs' successor specified, "vice Thomas Riggs, resigned;" no other reference to Riggs' resignation has been found.[51]
^Bone was nominated on June 1, 1921,[51] and confirmed by the Senate on June 13.[53] He was sworn in out of state on June 15,[54] and took office on July 13.[55]
^Parks was nominated on February 16, 1925,[57] confirmed on February 18,[58] and took office on June 16.[59]
^Troy was nominated on March 23, 1933,[61] confirmed on March 30,[62] and took office on April 19.[63] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on May 20, 1937.[64]
^Troy resigned due to poor health.[60] He submitted his resignation on August 29, 1939, to take effect October 15; he was asked by President Roosevelt to remain longer until his successor took office.[65]
^Gruening was appointed on September 2, 1939,[68] during a Senate recess; nominated on January 4, 1940,[69] and confirmed by the Senate on February 1, 1940.[70] He took office on December 5, 1939.[71] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on March 22, 1944,[72] and April 8, 1949.[73]
^Heintzleman was nominated on March 11, 1953,[75] confirmed by the Senate on March 16,[76] and took office on April 10.[77]
^Heintzleman resigned to return to private life;[74] some sources say he was unhappy with the job, and did not expect to be reappointed.[78] He submitted his resignation to President Eisenhower on December 19, 1956,[79] and it took effect on January 3, 1957; Territorial SecretaryWaino Hendrickson acted as governor until his successor arrived.[80]
^Stepovich was nominated on May 9, 1957,[82] confirmed by the Senate on May 16,[83] and took office on June 8.[84]
^Stepovich resignedto run for theUnited States Senate, losing that election.[85] He submitted his resignation on August 1, 1958, to take effect August 9;[86] Territorial SecretaryWaino Hendrickson acted as governor until statehood.
^The office of lieutenant governor was named secretary of state until 1970.[87]
^Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
^As Egan's first term did not begin until statehood, he had not served the "two full successive terms" that would have constitutionally prohibited him from running for a third term.[91]
^abGovernors who have served two full successive terms are not eligible again until another full term has passed.[103]
^Hickel was elected as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party,[94] and switched to the Republican party in April 1994.[112]
^Palin resigned, citing the costs of ethics investigations.[120]
^Campbell's position was termed "Temporary Substitute Lieutenant Governor[124] until he was confirmed by the Alaska Legislature on August 10, 2009.[125]
^Walker withdrew from the election on October 19, 2018, after the deadline of September 4, and so remained on the ballot.[128]
^Dunleavy's second term began on December 5, 2022,[131] andwill expire on December 7, 2026; he will be term-limited.
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