Governor of Alaska

Governor of Alaska
source
Post	Governor
Body	Alaska
Insigniacaption	Seal of Alaska
Flagcaption	Flag of the Governor of Alaska
Incumbent	Mike Dunleavy
Incumbentsince	December 3, 2018
Department	Alaska Executive Branch
Style	The Honorable (formal)
Residence	Alaska Governor's Mansion
Seat	Juneau
Termlength	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Alaska Constitution
Formation	January 3, 1959
First	William A. Egan
Salary	$145,000 (2013)

Contents

History
Powers and duties
Election and succession
List of governors
Residences and offices
See also

Governor of Alaska. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the U.S. state of Alaska and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder is responsible for implementing state laws, appointing heads of executive departments, and preparing the state budget. The governor serves a four-year term and is limited to two consecutive terms in office, with the current officeholder being Mike Dunleavy.

History

The office was established upon Alaska's admission to the Union on January 3, 1959, with William A. Egan becoming the first elected governor. Prior to statehood, the Alaska Territory was administered by a series of appointed governors, including notable figures like Ernest Gruening and B. Frank Heintzleman, who served under the authority of the United States Department of the Interior. The drafting of the Alaska Constitution at the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955-56, held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, formally defined the powers and structure of the office. The transition from territorial governance to statehood was marked by the Alaska Statehood Act, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Powers and duties

The governor possesses strong executive powers as outlined in Article III of the Alaska Constitution. These include the authority to appoint and remove heads of major departments like the Alaska Department of Public Safety and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, subject to confirmation by the Alaska Legislature. The governor can veto legislation passed by the legislature, a power exercised by governors such as Walter Hickel and Jay Hammond. As commander-in-chief of the Alaska State Defense Force and the Alaska Naval Militia, the governor can mobilize forces during emergencies, as seen during the 1964 Alaska earthquake and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The governor also submits an annual budget proposal to the legislature and grants pardons and commutations.

Election and succession

Gubernatorial elections are held every four years, coinciding with the United States midterm elections. Candidates for governor run on a ticket with a candidate for lieutenant governor. If the office of governor becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or incapacity, the lieutenant governor ascends to the office, as occurred when Wally Hickel succeeded Steve Cowper. Further succession is detailed in the Alaska Statutes, passing to the president of the Alaska Senate and then the speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives. The Alaska Division of Elections oversees the electoral process, and candidates are subject to campaign finance regulations enforced by the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

List of governors

Since statehood, Alaska has had 12 governors, representing both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the Alaska Independence Party. The longest-serving governor is William A. Egan, who served three non-consecutive terms. Other notable governors include Jay Hammond, known for creating the Alaska Permanent Fund; Sarah Palin, the first woman to hold the office; and Tony Knowles, who served two terms in the 1990s and 2000s. The list of territorial governors includes appointees such as John Green Brady and James Wickersham, a delegate to the United States Congress.

Residences and offices

The official residence is the Alaska Governor's Mansion, a historic building located in Juneau overlooking Gastineau Channel. The primary working office is located in the Alaska State Capitol, also in Juneau. The governor also maintains a secondary office in the Atwood Building in Anchorage. For travel, the governor uses state aircraft operated by the Alaska Department of Public Safety and has access to the MV Susitna, a former United States Navy vessel.